I have to brag! Of course I do! It IS all about ME here, you know!
Today was our long run - 6 miles (which really turned out to be about 6.6 miles, by the way). Now the furthest Bullseye and I have been able to run is a little more than 3 miles so today we knew we'd be walking part of the route but that was okay, we would do our best and try to run most of it. At the meeting before the run, our coach said that the long runs were not supposed to be about speed, but instead, about endurance. At that, the speed pressure was lifted from our shoulders and we were happy to "take it easy." As if...
Bullseye and I decided to walk the first 1/2 mile to get our legs warmed up. We found out in training during the week that this warm up period makes a big difference in how we run and how we feel. It's totally worth the time it takes us.
We started running a little before reaching the half mile mark and felt good. We ran right past the point where we had to stop the last time we were on this road, which was a big boost in our confidence! Things were going really well!
We continuously asked each other, "You doing okay?" and each time it was a "Yep!" so we KEPT GOING! We were in awe of our strength and were amazed how well we felt. Neither of us were struggling and both of us felt great! We even carried on conversations from time to time.
We came to the bottom of a VERY LARGE UGLY HILL and decided to trot up it (slowly jogging in little steps) instead of trying to actually run at the same pace we had been keeping. It is a MAJOR HILL - 119th near Thomas Jefferson Middle School for those of you that know the Felida area. UGLY HILL. Anyway, we made it up the hill, caught our breath, and continued on. RUNNING!
We were going to run as far as we could and amazingly, we "still could" and there was no reason to stop! We really couldn't believe it! We chalked it up to great coaches and kept going! I even did a few dance moves along the way because I honestly felt FANTASTIC! (I'm sorry if you were in one of the cars passing us by and had to witness that but really, I was happy!)
We ended up running all the way! WE RAN SIX MILES! Talk about being proud... WOW!
WE DID IT!
I don't think this smile is ever going to leave my face! I can't help but think about how far I have come. I've had seven back surgeries. I was morbidly obese. I've been nearly crippled and nearly dead (seriously) from back issues, surgeries and infections. My spine is fused at two levels. I had to use a walker after the fusion. I was told I was going to eventually be sitting in a wheelchair. I was told there was nothing more they could do for me. I was told, "This is about as good as it's going to get."
Well, those doctors just did not know who they were dealing with! I proved them ALL wrong! Oh, if only they could see me now!
I found my inner strength, my confidence and my will to survive. I found my physical strength, determination and the ability to turn "I can't!" into "I can!"
I am standing on top of the world right now!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Tiny Sparrow Foundation
The Tiny Sparrow Foundation was created by my friend, Lidia. She is a breast cancer survivor and one of the biggest reasons I started walking in the 3-Day for the Cure event. Her struggles made me want to do something... something to help her and others in her situation.
Lidia was only 31 when diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent months of chemotherapy and radiation, hair loss, weight loss, and the loss of both breasts and her ovaries. Lidia struggled to survive. She had multiple issues resulting from the cancer and chemo, had a young daughter who had health issues of her own, and had recently lost her father.
Through it all though, Lidia was and still is a fighter! While lying in bed trying to recover, she spent hours reading a manual and learning how to use her new camera. She had a passion for photography. She eventually started her own business, Oh So Posh Photography. She then started the Tiny Sparrow Foundation because she wanted to use her talent to "give back" to those in need.
You can read Lidia's story here. She is an amazing person with a huge amount of compassion.
The Foundation is a non-profit organization and needs your help! They always accept donations! :)
UPDATE: Shirt sale has ended but I'm sure it will be back eventually so stay tuned!
Right now you can purchase a shirt of "Hope" to support the Tiny Sparrow Foundation by clicking here. $15 from every purchase goes to the Foundation to help them continue giving the precious gift of pictures to families going through some of their darkest hours.
Lidia was only 31 when diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent months of chemotherapy and radiation, hair loss, weight loss, and the loss of both breasts and her ovaries. Lidia struggled to survive. She had multiple issues resulting from the cancer and chemo, had a young daughter who had health issues of her own, and had recently lost her father.
Through it all though, Lidia was and still is a fighter! While lying in bed trying to recover, she spent hours reading a manual and learning how to use her new camera. She had a passion for photography. She eventually started her own business, Oh So Posh Photography. She then started the Tiny Sparrow Foundation because she wanted to use her talent to "give back" to those in need.
You can read Lidia's story here. She is an amazing person with a huge amount of compassion.
The Foundation is a non-profit organization and needs your help! They always accept donations! :)
UPDATE: Shirt sale has ended but I'm sure it will be back eventually so stay tuned!
Friday, January 18, 2013
3.11 miles... yeah baby!
I DIIIIIIIIIID IT!!! Tonight I ran 3.11 miles WITHOUT STOPPING! That's a 5k!
Our training schedule said to run 3 miles today. I wanted to see how far I could go. I wanted to beat my last non-stop effort of 1.4 miles. I wanted to get past my own mental blocks and prove to myself that I really could do it!
I didn't look at my watch until 2.7 miles. I then said to myself, "I got this!" And ... I got it!
What a proud moment! In fact, I was so proud of myself that I drove straight to Max Muscle and let my trainers, Tracy and Trevor, know exactly what I had just accomplished!
3.11 miles in 35:30 minutes, averaging 11:25 minute miles. (I am definitely more of a tortoise than a hare but hey, I DID IT!)
I am a runner! :D
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Best. Shirt. Ever.
Last Sunday I was running/walking in 27 degrees F. I was worried about what to wear that morning because running is different than walking. I didn't want to wear too much and get hot and I didn't want to wear too little and freeze. This running gig is a whole new ball game for me... different clothes to wear, different muscles used, different fueling needs, etc. I'm constantly learning!
Earlier in the week, my friend, Kathie, had a shirt on her desk in an eye-catching, interesting little tube (packaging is everything, isn't it?!). I picked it up and asked what it was. She said she had done some research about what to wear when walking in COLD temperatures and everything she read pointed to this one shirt type - Columbia Omni-Heat.
Kathie asked if I was running over the weekend and when I said yes, she told me to take the shirt and try it out... to let her know what I thought about it. I said "Nooooo, it is your new shirt with the tags still attached!" After some back and forth "no's" and "take it's", I agreed to take the shirt, sweat in it, wash it and give it back to her! She is such a giving person!!
To sum it up, the shirt is FANTASTIC! I LOVED IT!
The inside looks like this...
It is like wearing a Mylar blanket - those blankets they give you at the end of a marathon to warm you up.
Omni-Heat explained here.
When we were inside getting ready to run, I felt a little warm and worried about how I was going to feel when running. When I started running and felt my core warm up, I felt a "cold layer" over my skin. I knew I was warm and sweating but the shirt made me feel nice and cool! When we returned back to the building, we spent time outside and while those sweaty people were beginning to get chilled, I felt toasty and warm! It was amazing!
Thank you Kathie for letting me cut your tags off and sweat in your new shirt! xoxo
Seriously... Best shirt ever.
Earlier in the week, my friend, Kathie, had a shirt on her desk in an eye-catching, interesting little tube (packaging is everything, isn't it?!). I picked it up and asked what it was. She said she had done some research about what to wear when walking in COLD temperatures and everything she read pointed to this one shirt type - Columbia Omni-Heat.
Kathie asked if I was running over the weekend and when I said yes, she told me to take the shirt and try it out... to let her know what I thought about it. I said "Nooooo, it is your new shirt with the tags still attached!" After some back and forth "no's" and "take it's", I agreed to take the shirt, sweat in it, wash it and give it back to her! She is such a giving person!!
To sum it up, the shirt is FANTASTIC! I LOVED IT!
The inside looks like this...
It is like wearing a Mylar blanket - those blankets they give you at the end of a marathon to warm you up.
Omni-Heat explained here.
When we were inside getting ready to run, I felt a little warm and worried about how I was going to feel when running. When I started running and felt my core warm up, I felt a "cold layer" over my skin. I knew I was warm and sweating but the shirt made me feel nice and cool! When we returned back to the building, we spent time outside and while those sweaty people were beginning to get chilled, I felt toasty and warm! It was amazing!
Thank you Kathie for letting me cut your tags off and sweat in your new shirt! xoxo
Seriously... Best shirt ever.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Training
No.... I'm not going to write about it every time I move a muscle, I promise! ;)
I went out for my second 4-mile training "run" this evening. Bullseye and I each had to do it on our own because of work schedules and Friday night plans. (Hers, not mine... I have no life!) I wasn't as apprehensive about running tonight as I was on Wednesday. I came home from work, changed my clothes and bolted out the front door without thinking twice about it.
I stretched a little to get warmed up - it was 31 degrees F - and then started running as soon as I left my driveway. I ran through the neighborhood and then through another, all the while picking out landmarks of where I was going to run to and then walk ... but I kept going! I kept running! Each corner I turned and each landmark I passed, I became more proud and more determined! This is something I AM capable of doing! When I finally stopped running (at an intersection to wait for the light - thank goodness!), I looked at my Garmin watch and COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! I ran the first 1.38 miles WITHOUT STOPPING! I'm so amazed!
The rest of the mileage was spent running with walk breaks here and there but never for very long. I would rather run very slowly than to walk more than I need to. A few times when I would concentrate on my stride, I felt myself get into a grove and would run smoother. I'm hoping that's what my running future will be like - smoother and easier!
I went 4.03 miles - If I had known I passed the 4 mile mark, I would have turned off the watch and crawled the rest of the way home! - 4.03 miles in 48.33 minutes, averaging 12:02 minute miles. This was a little slower than the first run but that run was on a flat track and this run was through the hilly streets of Hazel Dell! (I earnedchocolate gold stars for that, right?!)
Now I'm half frozen, drinking a cup of hot soup and ready to plant myself on the couch for the rest of the night. I earned it! (Chocolate still sounds like a better reward to me! Just sayin'... )
I walked 3.19 miles earlier in the day with my friend, Kathie. I considered it a "warm-up" to my upcoming run. Freezing temps but beautiful sunshine! It was very enjoyable!
Last night I took a nasty fall after tripping over stupid items in my house so I'm a bit sore from that today. I broke a wooden dog gate completely in half. I pitched forward, full speed ahead, and came to a dead stop as my shoulder abruptly collided with the corner of the wall (at least it wasn't my face). While flat on the floor, I was thinking, "Wow, I'm alive!" I thought my shoulder was going to be found somewhere behind me... maybe even in the next room! My shoulder now has an angry red knot on it and is very painful to the touch. My neck is sore too. Obviously I didn't do too much damage though because I'm able to move around and RUN, but it is painful. I'm too old to be taking tumbles like that. That's one of my biggest fears about running... falling! Turns out that fear is senseless - I need to fear laundry baskets and doggie gates instead! What a klutz ...
I went out for my second 4-mile training "run" this evening. Bullseye and I each had to do it on our own because of work schedules and Friday night plans. (Hers, not mine... I have no life!) I wasn't as apprehensive about running tonight as I was on Wednesday. I came home from work, changed my clothes and bolted out the front door without thinking twice about it.
I stretched a little to get warmed up - it was 31 degrees F - and then started running as soon as I left my driveway. I ran through the neighborhood and then through another, all the while picking out landmarks of where I was going to run to and then walk ... but I kept going! I kept running! Each corner I turned and each landmark I passed, I became more proud and more determined! This is something I AM capable of doing! When I finally stopped running (at an intersection to wait for the light - thank goodness!), I looked at my Garmin watch and COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! I ran the first 1.38 miles WITHOUT STOPPING! I'm so amazed!
The rest of the mileage was spent running with walk breaks here and there but never for very long. I would rather run very slowly than to walk more than I need to. A few times when I would concentrate on my stride, I felt myself get into a grove and would run smoother. I'm hoping that's what my running future will be like - smoother and easier!
I went 4.03 miles - If I had known I passed the 4 mile mark, I would have turned off the watch and crawled the rest of the way home! - 4.03 miles in 48.33 minutes, averaging 12:02 minute miles. This was a little slower than the first run but that run was on a flat track and this run was through the hilly streets of Hazel Dell! (I earned
Now I'm half frozen, drinking a cup of hot soup and ready to plant myself on the couch for the rest of the night. I earned it! (Chocolate still sounds like a better reward to me! Just sayin'... )
I walked 3.19 miles earlier in the day with my friend, Kathie. I considered it a "warm-up" to my upcoming run. Freezing temps but beautiful sunshine! It was very enjoyable!
Last night I took a nasty fall after tripping over stupid items in my house so I'm a bit sore from that today. I broke a wooden dog gate completely in half. I pitched forward, full speed ahead, and came to a dead stop as my shoulder abruptly collided with the corner of the wall (at least it wasn't my face). While flat on the floor, I was thinking, "Wow, I'm alive!" I thought my shoulder was going to be found somewhere behind me... maybe even in the next room! My shoulder now has an angry red knot on it and is very painful to the touch. My neck is sore too. Obviously I didn't do too much damage though because I'm able to move around and RUN, but it is painful. I'm too old to be taking tumbles like that. That's one of my biggest fears about running... falling! Turns out that fear is senseless - I need to fear laundry baskets and doggie gates instead! What a klutz ...
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