Attack!

This morning while I was out jogging this tried to attack me.

I would post a picture of what I look like when I return from running outside in the heat and humidity of Texas but, that would make this little crawfish look like a beauty contestant.

For those of you wondering, the crawfish is not being added to our list of pets.

Fun Run

When I received my finisher's medal after the half marathon, Savanah said to me, "I want one of those." I told her she could have anything she wanted and was willing to work for. Both her and AJ decided they wanted to do a race with me. We started training shortly after that. We first ran one mile, than two, and slowly added distance. We started out walking a lot and slowly added more time running and less time walking. Vanessa would ride her bike along side of us as we trained.

We woke up early on Labor Day and while the rest of the family slept in we ran in a local 5K. AJ did awesome and finished just behind the main pack of the winners. Savanah found several of her soccer teammates also running the race. The distraction was a blessing and she enjoyed running with her friends. By the last mile she was getting tired. She ended up walking part of the race but when we rounded the last corner, she took off and I couldn't catch her. We all had fun together and look forward to another race in the future.

Step by Step

In preparation for running my first half marathon I was encouraged to write a race story to pump myself up with a detailed plan of action and to prepare my self for worst case scenarios that may arise on the course. This is my story.......

They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. My first step on this journey was a year and a half ago. I was sitting in the home of a dear friend of mine in South Texas. He always prided himself on how much he enjoyed eating his wife’s cooking. He had recently suffered a stroke. When we visited him weeks after the stroke, he had lost a lot of weight. It was because he could barely swallow. He couldn’t talk and used simple hand motions to communicate. I realized as I sat there that I was headed in the same direction. I realized that I would have to lose weight one way or another. I could wait until I was diagnosed by a doctor or I could decide to do it on my own. You see, my family has a history of diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease, and obesity. I could wait for a diagnosis or I could make a decision.

I decided to change my life. I decided to make healthier eating choices. I decided to actually live my life. Since that decision, I have lost 45 pounds. I have gone from a size 18 jean to a size 8. I eat better and exercise more. My weight loss journey is not over is but each step is in the right direction.

Last January, my sister and I signed up for the Morgan Half-Marathon. It is the inaugural half-marathon in Morgan and my inaugural half-marathon. I thought it would be fun to run the streets of my hometown. I soon learned that the course takes me along the foothills of my hometown. As I started training, I realized it would be harder than I thought. The first 7.5 miles are uphill with a 500 ft. elevation gain. This was not going to be fun at all. I made the decision to follow through. I would just have to train harder. I don’t do things half way and I can do hard things.

I started training. I remember when I first faced a seven mile run. That was farther than I had ever run in my life. It seemed overwhelming. Then I realized that I don’t have to run seven miles. I only have to run three miles, stop for a drink, and then run four miles. I could do that and I did. The next week I ran eight miles, then nine miles, and finally ten. I even threw in an extra week of training while on vacation. It has been months and months of running four days a week. My legs have logged hundreds of miles.

Each step I have taken in training has prepared me for this day. I have taken steps on treadmills, trails, cement, asphalt, beaches, and tracks. I have trained in the snow, rain, blistering heat, and high humidity. I have taken easy steps, hard steps, and even painful steps. I have suffered blisters, bruises, cuts, and scrapes. I have overcome IT band problems, shin splints, hip problems, herniated discs, and racing heart beats. I have seen physical therapists, sports med doctors, chiropractors, and cardiologists and every time my first question was, “Can I keep running?” Thankfully, every time, the answer was, “Yes”. I kept running.

The time has come for the race. Each step of the training and preparation is done.

After the first half mile, I face my first big hill.As I get to the top, I can see all over the valley. It really is a beautiful place. My family has worked this land for over 100 years. It is now my turn. I will conquer this valley just as my ancestors have before me. It is part of my legacy.I have seven more miles of hills. I have trained on this course several times. I know these hills like the back of my hand. The second to last big hill is a monster. It is deceiving. It starts out at a slow grade then increases around the first turn and increases even more around the second turn. This thing goes on forever. I can conquer that hill. I have before. At the top I want to jump up and down like Rocky with a hoot and a holler but instead I keep my pace and might even allow myself a few fist pumps. Downhill and only one more hill to go. It is the hill near the old Porterville Church. (I swear that place is haunted.) When I finish that hill I am done. It is all downhill from here. I have to keep an eye on my pace. Relax on the way down on steep grades. I stay focused on the finish line. I ignore the pain and focus on my training and this journey I am on.

I don’t have to run 13.1 miles. I just have to run three. At aid station 3, I grab water as I walk through, just a few sips to wet my mouth. Then I only have to run two miles. At aid station five, I stop. I force down GU. It is like vanilla flavored putty. Drink water and Gatorade. I stock up on more gum. Aaron will be there with my race bag and encourage me on my way. I allow myself one minute to rest. Then I’m back on course. My legs will protest but I just ignore them. I only have three miles to go. At station 8, all I need is a sip of water. At station 10, I stop again.  I want the GU, water, and Gatorade to help me finish this thing. There will be aid stations every mile for the rest of the race. I will stop if I need them and keep on going if I don’t. I am now on uncharted territory. I have never ran this far. I allow the adrenaline, energy, and shear willpower to carry me the rest of the way. I won’t stop when I am tired. I will stop when I am done.

I know this will be painful. That is why runners are considered endurance athletes. Runners know how to endure pain. I can ignore the pain. It is mental. Let’s talk worst case scenarios. The pain gets too much to endure. I can walk. My heart rate spikes. I walk for quarter mile and sit for a minute. I know how to handle it. If the worst thing that happens is that I walk, I can handle that.

As I cross the finish line I stop my watch. I will feel like beating my fists on my chest, letting out a primal scream, and yelling, “I am woman hear me roar!” Since I will know most of the runners and spectators, instead, I will quietly tell myself, “I can do really hard things!”

I have taken every step of this journey alone. This has been my thing. I have finished every long run and met every goal alone. That will not be the case this time. My family and friends will be there to greet me. I will try to take it all in.

What’s next? Another half? A full? Triathlon? I don’t know at this point. That will be a decision I will eventually make. This much I do know. This race is just one step in the decision I made long ago in a little hacienda in South Texas. That decision changed my life and I am so grateful.

This is what really happened.......

Everything was going as planned, actually it was even better than planned I felt great and was ahead of my goal pace. Then, half way through the race on that monster hill, my heart rate spiked. A normal hear rate is 72. Mine was at 240. I had to stop and walk. My worst case scenario happened. Because I was having such a great race, I was disappointed, frustrated, and angry. With all those emotions, I couldn't bring my heart rate down. I spent two miles trying to calm down and different strategies to bring my heart rate down. My frustration was making matters worse. Eventually I realized there was only one way to finish this thing. I would need to simply put one foot in front of the other. I turned my heart rate monitor off and just ran from my gut.

Sometimes we put our heart and soul into something. We worry and plan and work our guts out yet still the end result is not what we wanted. That is all part of this little thing we call Life.

In the end, after 13.1 miles, I finished the race with a smile. I was not alone. My kids were waiting at the finish line.

 Aaron was there as I received my finisher's medal.

Laurann and I celebrated finishing.

I was 15 minutes slower than my goal time. But is was my time, my personal record. The nice thing about having a slow personal record is that now I have something to beat. My goal for the next race: improvement. I may not have had the perfect race, but I learned a lot about myself and the way to deal with disappointment, simply take the next step.