thankful day 3

today i’m thankful for my health and my family’s health.  i’m thankful that i took a chance in 2009 and on a crazy whim decided to train and run a 1/2 marathon.  i’m thankful that decision has led me to incorporating exercise consistenly (some times more than others) into my life. 

friday letters

 

dear kc hospice house; each month, since july i come back and deliver goodies.  praying that those families and friends with loved ones there, find some comfort by the food delivered.  you are a place that will always be important to me.  your staff, volunteers there are no words for the goodness that is this place. 

dear panera: thank you for filling in when i was running out of time.

dear boys:  so proud of you.  end of first quarter and both of you received excellent grades and great things were said by your teachers. Could.Not.Be. Prouder of either of you.

dear work:  wow .…the next few months could be interesting.  thanks for the excitement.

dear feet:  tomorrow you are running 13.1 miles…please don’t fail me.

dear fall:  have i said this already…i love you.  your colors are awesome.

dear decaf:  i think i’m getting used to you but wondering how long it will last.

i ran today

i ran today....and it actually felt good. since my last 1/2 marathon, running has felt different, forced, uncomfortable.  if you know me in real life and someone i talk to about running, you would know that running as been difficult.  today, it felt good, challenging but good. 

Ahhh....i ran today.

Lately

Lately, I'm feeling out of it, like there but not really. I read or hear something but only parts of what I'm reading, hearing and/or seeing are making it to my brain. Hmmmm....frustrating.

Lately, we've been busy busy busy with the following:

Jay's 20 year high school reunion. I will always love that he is older than me.

Trip to CherryVegas/Independence to celebrate one such reunion. spending time on the Presson farm. Loved it...cozy, peaceful beautiful.

Celebrated my first baby turning double digits. Time please oh please slow down.

KU Homecoming...KU vs ISU. Seriously too cold and we were unprepared. Charlie and I watched kickoff festivities then headed to the union to enjoy some window shopping. After the 1st quarter, the whole family headed to Chris and Jessica's to finish watching in warmth.

Ran my 2nd 1/2 marathon. It was cold, AWESOME, harder than hospital hill both mentally and physically, beat my time by 3 minutes. 2 hours 1 minute baby.

Watched Mac in his first competitive baseball tournament.

Celebrated 1st report card of 4th grade

Celebrated a successful peanut butter challenge. Charlie is ok to eat peanuts. Yay!

Heat

Heat is not my friend, at least when I'm trying to run in it.

I ventured out on my first run since the 1/2 marathon and was quickly reminded that heat is not my friend. So I will admit, that it was more like a run/walk. At the same time it felt good.

I'm hoping the sun (can't really remember the last time I saw it) and the endorphins from my run help with my mood.

Hospital Hill Recap

All I can say is WOW! Here it is 2 days after the race and I'm still on cloud nine! I CAN NOT BELIEVE I DID IT. It feels like a dream and I am so, so proud of myself.

The race was great, it truly was. I was very very nervous about the hills, but they weren't bad...as bad as what i was thinking. I think my training adequately prepared me for the course. The only issue I had were my feet...they were on fire...literally felt like they were burning. I grossly overestimated my approximate finish time and the boys did not make it up to see me cross the finish line. That's ok...I know they will make other races so we'll target next time.

Here is a pic of me and the boys at home but still in my race gear attire and with my medal...my very first medal.

AWESOME

PERFECT

Perfect Day

Perfect Weather

Perfect Race

13.1 miles in 2:04

YAY

more later...

This is it

So....this is it...Hospital Hill 1/2 marathon is finally here...

I feel pretty lame...I'm so excited and in the next split second find myself saying what the hell am I doing. I am ready...I have been thinking about this race for what seems like forever. I am ready to experience and see what comes next. :)

I do have goals, but at the same time I'm trying to keep it simple. This is my first 1/2 marathon, my third race and I have no idea what to expect. So ultimately, I want to finish, hopefully running down the final hill into the finish line in a respectable time, which I am thinking for me is 2 1/2 hours.

Here is my gear...

The only thing left to do is create a new mix. I've been listening to the same one primarily for the last 8 weeks. I need to mix it up a little.

We're taking the boys to Arkansas tomorrow afternoon, so I won't be posting until Sunday or Monday with my first race recap.