2011 Summer Solstice

This evening we participated in the Summer Solstice 6-mile walk.  It was amazingly warm and sunny at 6:00 p.m. and we were looking for the shade!  (We're never happy, are we?!)  I started this walk out still feeling a bit tired from the 26.2 mile marathon Linda and I just competed in six days ago but soon got "the fever" and started to move!  I always say I don't care about the time but as soon as I cross that starting line, something shifts into gear in my mind and off I go!  My training walks are about comfort and ease - it's the distance I'm most concerned about - but I can't seem to relax and "just walk" during an event in which we are being timed no matter how many times I plan to do just that... relax and walk.  I have never been competitive in my life but with walking, I am ALWAYS competing against my own previous times.  I think that's what I enjoy the most about walking - it's a very personal sport and I always challenge myself to do better, go faster, go further.  Tonight's walk was enjoyable and we didn't push ourselves to the point of jogging more than a block or two but we were certainly "walking with a purpose!" It was Patti's very first event and she did fantastic!  We finished our six miles in 1 hour and 25 minutes and 50 seconds (14:18 minute miles). Not bad at all for a Saturday evening stroll.  ;)


Patti, Linda and me

Summer Solstice

Before the sweat has dried from my shoes, I'm ready to participate in the next event! Saturday evening, June 25th, I will be walking/jogging with friends in the Northwest Personal Training Summer Solstice 6-mile event. It is a short walk but one that holds a place in my heart! The Summer Solstice is the first walk I ever signed up for (two years ago) and the first six miles of my walking adventures that nearly killed me! It's time to go back and conquer those six miles! ;)

2011 Vancouver Marathon - Here's to you, Dad! Happy Father's Day!

Today I participated in the inaugural Vancouver USA Marathon - all 26.2 miles of it!

Wow, what a day!  The weather was perfect - a little mist in the beginning and clouds with moments of sunshine throughout the day.  It didn't get "hot" until after I finished and was walking ever so slowly to my car.  Perfect weather for a marathon.

I walked and jogged in the beginning, completing half of the marathon in three hours flat!  I beat my previous half marathon pace and was right on track to beat my previous full marathon pace!  Starting at 7:00am, I visualized finishing this one between 1:10 and 1:30.  The first half of the course was fairly flat and wonderful, not a lot of traffic to deal with or listen to. We were out in the open and could enjoy the scenery.  Around mile 14 we started to climb up hill.  We came back down a bit only to start up again and really go up, peaking at mile 20.  It wasn't easy that late into the course because I was becoming very tired. Somewhere around mile 18 I had to leave my buddy Linda behind.  The hills were tough on both of us and it slowed us down.  We agreed in the beginning that we didn't have to stay together but of course we would try.  After leaving Linda, I was on my own.  Walkers are at the end of the line and spread out quite a bit.  I found myself having to follow markers on the pavement rather than people ahead of me because there were times I couldn't see any!  Walking alone gives you time to think and start to doubt your own ability to finish the course.  I didn't fall apart but had to continuously tell myself I was almost done.  Once again I could hear Jillian in my head yelling at me to finish strong!  (She certainly has made an impression on me!)  I tried to jog off and on but my legs didn't want any part of it.  Around mile 24.5 I started feeling my calves cramping up if I tried to jog so I simply just kept walking and gave up on the idea of getting there any faster.

Arriving back into town, I saw Tracy and Trevor Bryant on the corner.  They are two people I have gotten to know since the time I first started training with Portland Fit a year and a half ago.  They own the local Max Muscle stores.   They have given me a lot of knowledge about my nutritional needs to train like I do and always have a compliment to give and plenty of encouragement!  Seeing their familiar faces and getting the high fives gave me the boost I really needed to keep going and finish. (Thank you, Tracy and Trevor!) It was only a matter of blocks to the finish line!

There were still many people lining the course at the end, clapping and yelling out words of praise and encouragement! Those people will never know how much they mean and how they help you keep going!  I saw my son, Matthew, and heard him yell out "Go Madre!".  I was thrilled to see him there!  I then saw my daughter, Brittany, and my mother, Dolores, cheering me on and both gave me high fives as I was "flying" by!  (right! Ha!) They even had a huge bouquet of flowers for me.

I crossed the finish line in 6 hours 22 minutes 15 seconds ... beating my previous full marathon by 7.5 minutes!  I was right in the middle of the time I had visualized myself crossing that line.  Linda was only a few minutes behind me.

I received my finisher's medal, a bottle of water and a space blanket and then walked around through the chute towards my family, food and chairs!  My Vancouver Fit head coach, Jeremy Dunham, walked up to me and gave me a big hug, telling me how proud he was.  I introduced him to my family, even telling him my son was "my brother", which was quickly corrected by Brittany.  It was obvious I was tired! He told my family they had a lot to be proud of me for - which, of course, they are.  Jeremy doesn't even know half of it!  I have come so far.

Nervous but Excited!

Vancouver's first full marathon tomorrow! Totally excited but feeling a bit anxious today. Resting, eating pasta and visualizing the finish line! I went to the expo yesterday and saw lots of neat gear and clothing. Picked up my shirt and bib only to come home and find out my timing chip wasn't attached! I made a trip back down there (thank goodness it is all here in Vancouver!) and had to leave my bib behind, which meant a third trip there today! It is finally taken care of and I'm ready to go! We have a 30 percent chance of rain tomorrow morning, of course, but hopefully luck is on our side and we fall into the other 70 percent and stay dry! Regardless, it won't be hot so I'm happy! 26.2 miles... here I come!

How it all started...

I am a walker!  I am actually a real marathon walker!  In fact, I am also a jogger! I walk most of the time but love to throw in jogs now and then to speed things up!  It's crazy to even write that about myself!  After multiple back surgeries (SEVEN to be exact!), a spinal fusion, two battles with MRSA on my spine, years of numerous medications, major weight gain and pure laziness... who would believe I would be this person I am now?!  Not me and certainly not any of my family, friends or doctors. 

In the spring of 2009, I was watching the Biggest Loser episode where the remaining four contestants were running the marathon.  These still-overweight individuals were running 26.2 miles!  I was amazed with their ability to run and asked myself what was wrong with me?  I was sitting on the couch wishing I was one of them - a runner - but doing nothing about it and actually feeling sorry for myself.  I had dropped nearly 40 pounds at this point and weighed less than some of the contestants yet they were RUNNING and I was SITTING!  I decided if they could do it, SO COULD I.  I signed up for my first six mile event in June.  I jogged about 10 YARDS of it and walked the rest… out of breath and in pain.  My hands swelled up like balloons and scared me, thinking something must be wrong with my heart!  (I knew nothing about walking, exercise, hydration, etc.!)  I finished in just under 2 hours and was so proud of myself you would have thought I had just run the Boston Marathon!  I limped away with a blister on the bottom of my foot the size of a silver dollar and pride in my chest the size of Texas!  For the next FOUR DAYS I could barely move!  I couldn’t walk, sit or sleep without major pain.  I sat back down on the couch completely defeated.  Six miles nearly killed me.  During the walk I hurt my foot and as a result, limped around for almost four months.  I quit.  Walking was not for me.  It was simply too much work.

In February 2010, I saw a commercial on TV about the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, 60-Mile Walk in Seattle taking place in September.  Fund raising was mandatory (a minimum of $2,300), which I thought was probably impossible.  Walking 60 miles was like a dream to me but dreamers are allowed on the walk, right?!  Believing in the cause and wanting to try walking again, I signed up the next day!  I went to work and sent out the “fund raising email” asking for donations and stating what my plans for September were… to walk SIXTY miles.  Did they think I was crazy?  Absolutely!  In fact, the reaction I received is really what motivated me the most.  I was going to prove to them that I WAS capable and I WAS going to walk ALL SIXTY MILES (which I did!).  No way could I back out of it and still hold my head up high! 

I immediately searched the internet for a training group to “teach” me to walk so I wouldn’t hurt myself again.  The search led me to Portland Fit, a marathon training program.  I had NO intention to walk ANY marathon.  I simply wanted to be able to walk 60 miles without injury. 

Now fast forward a year and a half later … 94 pounds lighter (with a bit more to go), one 3-day 60-mile event completed (another in September), 3 half marathons (two more in the next three months), 1 full marathon (another next week and one in October) and MILES AND MILES AND MILES of training walks behind me with so much more to accomplish ahead of me!  I am so blessed!

In the beginning... that's me in the orange shirt!  259 pounds!

And Ray still loved me... wow.

Now...

I still have 20 - 25 pounds to lose but I'm getting there!  I need to tone it all up now.  :)

Bit the Bullet and Registered!

I just signed up for that crazy Portland Marathon! Oh wait, I am the crazy one! This year is the 40th Anniversary of the Portland Marathon so it should be filled with a lot of entertainment and plenty of excitement! I'm looking forward to it... I think! :)        

        26.2

Milestones!

(June 3, 2011) Today Linda and I took advantage of the beautiful sunshine and walked 21 miles (5 hours 41 minutes)! It was almost too warm at times but it was great not to be walking in a downpour for a change. Two weeks ago, Linda and I hit the milestone of 18 miles... two weeks from now is the Vancouver Marathon! I think we are officially ready! :)

10k Rum Run in Tualatin, Oregon

(May 22, 2011) Today Brittany and I did a 10k (6.4 miles) together. It was Brittany's first organized walk/run event other than the 2010 3-Day. We had such a great time! For someone that doesn't train at all, Brittany really rocked it! We walked and jogged off and on for the full 6.4 miles, even sprinting through the finish line! Our official time was 1 hour 27 minutes and 40 seconds which means our overall average was 13:39 minute miles! Yahooooo! That was my fastest time yet! It just keeps getting better! :) Brittany is already looking forward to the next event. I knew she would catch the bug! I am very proud of her and look forward to doing it again right there beside her!

Cinco de Mayo Half Marathon - aka Ocho de Mayo Half aka Mother's Day Half! :)

(May 9, 2011) Linda, Renee and I participated in the Cinco de Mayo Half Marathon in Portland yesterday. We spent a great deal of the marathon going UP HILL of course, this is the Pacific Northwest! It was also raining off and on. We all three felt great and were able to stay together and really push each other. We ended up doing 13.1 miles in 3 hours and four minutes! I loved it! It was Renee's first half marathon and she really rocked it! She even broke into a sprint a few yards from the finish line! (You go girl!) We were all so proud of each other! At the end of the race there was a mariachi band, burritos and beer. The burrito didn't interest me but the beer certainly did and I totally chugged it down! I beat my last half marathon time by another 12 minutes. Yay! It was my best time to date and I'm not even sore today. I'm doing another one next month and it's the big one - a full 26.2 mile marathon, Vancouver's first. I'm already looking forward to it. I'm a marathon junkie! :)

Me, Linda and Renee

Bake Sale

(May 9, 2011) On Saturday, May 7th, I had my very first bake sale to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure! My mother and I baked all day on Friday making cookies, brownies and cupcakes. My mom knitted four baby blankets to sell but we really did not expect them to move off the table. I set up a stand in a nearby neighborhood where several garage sales were going on. We decorated with PINK everything and hung signs, printed off information sheets about breast cancer, about the 3-Day walk and about my own personal dedication and fund raising goals. We had breast cancer ribbons, stickers, bracelets and water bottles with pink ribbons on them! We had posters for our supporters to sign that will eventually hang along the 60 mile route in September. Peet's Coffee & Tea donated coffee, which we gave away for free to those coming to our stand. It was cold, windy and of course it was raining! We luckily were set up under a canopy. This bake sale took me out of my normal comfort zone of not talking to people I don't know because of my hearing loss. Most of the time I don't like to put myself in a situation where I might misunderstand or simply not hear and then come across as being rude or stupid (it has happened many, many times). Because of my belief in this cause, I found myself trying to talk to everyone! People were wonderful! We met survivors - one of which was a man - and too many people that had sisters, mothers, aunts, daughters or friends that had been diagnosed with breast cancer - some who had not survived. It was very emotional at times. Three of mom's blankets sold (we asked for $25 each). One of the blankets actually sold for $40 because the buyer wanted to give extra to support the cause! We sold out of brownies first and then the cupcakes and cookies were flying off the table! We were set up on the side of a neighbor's yard and they were very friendly and supportive. It was a lot of work preparing for and setting up for this bake sale but we were very successful and plan to do it again! We agreed that if we raised $100 we would be happy. We did better than we ever expected, raising $300 in cash and receiving a $20 check! It was a great day!

My First Half Marathon of 2011

(March 1, 2011) On Sunday, February 27th, I walked in the Max Muscle Half Marathon here in Vancouver. I really enjoyed not having to drive into Portland or beyond for an event. I walked the 13.1 miles in 3 hours 16 minutes and 41 seconds, beating my last half marathon by twelve minutes! The day was windy and cold. I suffered major lower and upper leg cramps for the last four miles - couldn't even "rush" through the finish line - but I still did well. At first I thought I had not hydrated myself enough the days prior to the event but the more people I talked to, the more I found out they had suffered the same. Most believe it was because of how cold it was. Whatever the reason, it was quite painful and I hope not to experience that again. I need to pump up the training now - September will be here before we know it!

Tattoo!

(January 30, 2011) I really did it!!

Walking Goals for 2011

(January 26, 2011) In February 2010, I got off the couch and started training for my first 3-Day Susan G. Komen walk in September 2010. People thought I was crazy and asked if I actually knew how far 60 miles was?! Since I was a couch potato, I wasn't that shocked over their reactions. However, those reactions made me very determined to do exactly what I said I was going to do. That was 11 months ago. Since that time, I have documented 713 miles for the year. In 2010, I walked my first half marathon, my first full marathon and 60 miles in three days for the Cure! My commitment is stronger than ever and my goal for the year of 2011 is to walk 1000 miles! I'm of course walking the 3-Day Susan G. Komen walk in September again (MY FAVORITE EVENT!) and have signed up to walk three half marathons this year and two full ones. I love my new life and love walking for a cause. In fact, I'm going to get my first ever tattoo this year as well... a fancy pink ribbon!

Helvetia Half Marathon (my first!!) - June 2010

2010 Portland Marathon

(October 10, 2010) I DID IT!!! Today I walked the Portland Marathon... 26.2 miles! It took me 6 hours 29 minutes and 49 seconds - averaging 14:52 minute miles! Yahoooo! It POURED DOWN RAIN for the first 21 miles and I was soaked to the bone! The rain was miserable but I guess that's better than being overheated in the sunshine (which is NOW shining by the way!). I wanted to give up and sit down at mile 24 because I was exhausted. (What's up with me and the last two miles?! I did the same thing at mile 58 on the 3-Day walk only I DID sit down in that event! In fact, I LAID DOWN on the pier!) I had to start mentally knocking myself around to keep myself going! Besides, I wanted my finishers shirt and the medal! haha The marathon was not easy at all because of the pressure I put on myself to finish in a "reasonable" amount of time. I wanted to finish anywhere between six and half hours to seven hours, knowing it would probably be closer to seven. You can imagine my excitement when I finished in less time than I had ever hoped for! Yes, it was only by seconds but I did it! The next time I walk a marathon (of course I'm crazy enough to be already thinking about the next one), I will enjoy it more and not put so much pressure on myself for the time. As long as I finish in 8 hours (that would seem like crawling to me, wouldn't it?!) then I'm good!! I found myself comparing the Susan G. 3-Day with this event. Of course! I just walked 60 miles TWO WEEKS AGO so it's still very fresh in my mind. Anyway, the 3-Day spoils us rotten!!! Frequent potty breaks, plenty of food, water, music, etc. In the Portland Marathon, we had to grab a cup of water as we were flying by and actually try to get some of that water in our mouth! No sitting down and resting. No pink cupcakes. No homemade fudge, cookies or any other treats along the way (except for the gummy bears they were handing out which I don't eat). I think I enjoy being spoiled a lot more than busting my butt trying to beat a timer! haha Here's to a great couple of weeks walking!! I had the time of my life at both events... both were firsts for me and for that I'm very proud.

2010 Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure!

(September 28, 2010) WOW!! What an amazing journey!!! Over the past weekend (Sept. 24-26) I walked in this event for the first time and absolutely had the time of my life! It was everything I expected and then some! It was such an emotional journey in so many ways. So, here I go again, before my shoes have even had the chance to dry out, getting ready for next year's event! Whoot Whoot - for the boobs!

There isn't enough space on this page to tell you about the weekend. You would have to be there to get the true feeling of it but let me just tell you, it was wonderful, emotional, exciting, amazing, exhausting, and so much more!! We started out in Redmond, WA and walked to our camp in Lynnwood (which just happened to be about a mile from my relatives' home I had just left early that morning!). You could feel the excitement in the air! The weather was cool and cloudy - perfect for walking. We had a few sprinkles during the day but nothing major. There were plenty of pit stops to refill water bottles, go to the bathroom, eat, fix blisters, seek medical treatment, etc. Along the route between each pit stop were the ever-so-helpful crew members directing us through traffic and making sure all our needs were met and those AMAZING, cheering, supporting spectators! Just when you felt you were too tired to go much further, another crowd of spectators were there along the route cheering you on, spraying you with water bottles to cool you off, thanking you, dancing, playing music, and offering coffee, water, and tons of homemade goodies! After a long day, camp was the most inviting place on earth! We ate dinner (steak, potatoes, green beans, salad and pie!), took our showers (built into 18 wheeler trucks!), listened to announcements and went to the "post office" and received wonderful cards and letters from family and friends (thank you!!!). The second day was more of the same - WALKING. The weather was sunny and warm - almost too warm at times but very nice. Sunscreen was a must as well as drinking those extra fluids! My husband, son, niece and nephew were at one of the cheering stations later in the day and I can't describe the feelings I had when I saw my husband across the street waiving his arms and running down the sidewalk to meet Brittany and I. I was overcome with joy, that's for sure! They gave our stinky selves big hugs and told us how proud they were of us, took some pictures, and sent us on our way to finish that day's walk. Many of us hit the tents early that night for some much needed rest. In two days we had just covered 44 miles. The wind was blowing and sometime during the night it really started raining. When we got up in the morning, it was POURING. What a way to start the third day! We lined up in our ponchos and caught a bus in the pouring rain to be taken to our next starting point closer to Seattle. We walked 16 miles and it felt like 90 at times. We went up and over Capitol Hill in Seattle and then through downtown and along the waterfront. We ended our 60 mile journey at the Memorial Stadium next to the Space Needle. What a sight to see with all the spectators welcoming us back and thanking us for all our fundraising and walking. I still get the chills just thinking about it. What an amazing weekend!


I'm ready and excited to do it all over again!! I'm giving myself through tomorrow to rest up and then will start walking AGAIN. I have the Portland Marathon (26.2 miles) coming up on October 10th and that's going to be a piece of cake compared to what I just accomplished! Here's to another great year of training! I have 354 days to get ready! :)