I need help. Please read this week and help me. I have lost my "spirit" or something. I really want to get back to my old self but can't seem to do it. I had every opportunity this week and I did OK. I ran a few times but not at full effort. I went to a yoga class, but not a hard one. And on Friday, when I was planning a big run, I was pursuaded at the last minute to go to the Brewer's game where I ate a hot pretzel and nachos. Because of the late arrival home, I slept through the Ripon 5K, something I NEVER would have considered last year. Plus the Brewer's game was a disaster which didn't help anything.
And that's why I'm asking for help. I know some of you are runners, and some of you have other things you are passionate about. And I know, at times, we all lose steam. What have you done to get back on track? I was very motivated this week when my friend Erin posted that she ran 5.5 miles. So motivated that I ran two. Whoopee. I couldn't run five miles right now if there was a free trip to Hawaii at the finish line. Good job, Erin, by the way. I'm proud, impressed, and a tad jealous. OK, a lot jealous.
So, let me have it. Post something on Facebook or send an email to brookev10@charter.net. Help me help myself.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Here We Go. . . ..
It has come to my attention that this "running" blog hasn't been much about running lately. I've devoted two weeks to spring break (the mailbox votes are in). I've talked about my yoga challenges. And mostly I've talked about pain. I haven't mentioned that I've felt bloated, sluggish, and off track. I haven't been able to figure that out. Until it came to my attention that this "running" blog hasn't been much about running.
About 4 months ago, I was running 16 miles per week plus doing 2 Biggest Loser training videos. As the weather got nicer, I wanted to be outside but I really lost my edge. Yes, the dumb injury got in the way. But I may have stretched that out a bit. I'm still aiming for that half marathon in October and I will work hard to reach that goal. For now, I am standing at the bottom of a very large hill and need to figure out how to reach the top.
I'm getting a good start. I ran a total of 9 miles this week, three of them today during the Oshkosh 5K. The first 5K I ever ran was this same race last year. I got a better time last year but I had to walk a lot. This year, I finished at a slow and steady pace without walking so I'm pretty proud of that. I almost beat my husband, but his competitive spirit would not allow that!
There were some inspirational moments this year. A disabled kid on crutches crossed the finish line of the 5K. Many children finished the 5K with smiles plastered on their faces. The Half Marathon winner was at least 10 minutes ahead of his competition. And I almost always get tears in my eyes when I see the first female half marathon runner cross the finish line.
These are the people we need to watch and admire. We all have pieces of them inside of us. I got a glimpse of that person, finally, again today, crossing the finish line and seeing my son's bright eyes and his big smile. I'm taking my first step up that impossibly tall hill, but I can see the top and have been inspired to reach it.
About 4 months ago, I was running 16 miles per week plus doing 2 Biggest Loser training videos. As the weather got nicer, I wanted to be outside but I really lost my edge. Yes, the dumb injury got in the way. But I may have stretched that out a bit. I'm still aiming for that half marathon in October and I will work hard to reach that goal. For now, I am standing at the bottom of a very large hill and need to figure out how to reach the top.
I'm getting a good start. I ran a total of 9 miles this week, three of them today during the Oshkosh 5K. The first 5K I ever ran was this same race last year. I got a better time last year but I had to walk a lot. This year, I finished at a slow and steady pace without walking so I'm pretty proud of that. I almost beat my husband, but his competitive spirit would not allow that!
There were some inspirational moments this year. A disabled kid on crutches crossed the finish line of the 5K. Many children finished the 5K with smiles plastered on their faces. The Half Marathon winner was at least 10 minutes ahead of his competition. And I almost always get tears in my eyes when I see the first female half marathon runner cross the finish line.
These are the people we need to watch and admire. We all have pieces of them inside of us. I got a glimpse of that person, finally, again today, crossing the finish line and seeing my son's bright eyes and his big smile. I'm taking my first step up that impossibly tall hill, but I can see the top and have been inspired to reach it.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The Lakes at Sable Ridge
Wow, just got back from a little less than a week in Florida with my parents. For those of you who have watched every Seinfeld episode 14 times, like I have, you will enjoy the comparisons. Maybe your parents have moved to Florida and you've had similar experiences. Having parents move to Florida is hilarious and EXACTLY like Seinfeld. My parents' "Del Boca Vista" is called "The Lakes at Sable Ridge." It is a nice little gated community where the big controversy this week is the mailboxes. They are in DISREPAIR! They must be replaced. Ballots were hand delivered, a vote took place, but the people are unhappy.
When your parents move to Florida, it only takes them a few months to acclimate to the weather and they suddenly forget that they had once endured zero degree winter days. They see no need to turn on the air conditioning and prefer to keep the house at a nice 78 degrees. Much like a Seinfeld episode, you will sweat through several pairs of pajamas, while they will sleep the nights away under three blankets.
Perhaps my favorite Seinfeld moment occurred while I attempted to keep up with running. Running is really hard in Florida. I don't know if it's the heat or the fact that, while on vacation, pizza, donuts, and alfredo sauce seem to be unlimited. But sure enough, as I'm struggling to keep pace, here comes the "Mr. Mandelbaum" of The Lakes at Sable Ridge. This man, no younger than 82 and weighing in at about the same, comes running right at me. He's not breathing heavy, he's barely sweating as he casually passes my 34 year old fat, panting, sweating ass. My Dad says that "Mr. Mandelbaum" can run faster than he can bike. There have been days when "Mr. Mandelbaum" bikes the one mile loop in the neighborhood upwards of 40 times.
But I will not let Mr. 82-year-old Marathon man let me down. Next week is my first widely anticipated 5K of the season. I'm feeling good and have things to look forward to. This is the race where it all began last year. I'm not kidding myself. I may not beat last year's time after fighting the injury bug for so long this winter. But I will miss my mom. She was here to run it with me last year. She actually took 3rd place for her age group! It will be sad to do it without her this year. Maybe she can run it in a heavy sweatsuit with Mr. Mandelbaum after they vote for their favorite mailbox choice!
When your parents move to Florida, it only takes them a few months to acclimate to the weather and they suddenly forget that they had once endured zero degree winter days. They see no need to turn on the air conditioning and prefer to keep the house at a nice 78 degrees. Much like a Seinfeld episode, you will sweat through several pairs of pajamas, while they will sleep the nights away under three blankets.
Perhaps my favorite Seinfeld moment occurred while I attempted to keep up with running. Running is really hard in Florida. I don't know if it's the heat or the fact that, while on vacation, pizza, donuts, and alfredo sauce seem to be unlimited. But sure enough, as I'm struggling to keep pace, here comes the "Mr. Mandelbaum" of The Lakes at Sable Ridge. This man, no younger than 82 and weighing in at about the same, comes running right at me. He's not breathing heavy, he's barely sweating as he casually passes my 34 year old fat, panting, sweating ass. My Dad says that "Mr. Mandelbaum" can run faster than he can bike. There have been days when "Mr. Mandelbaum" bikes the one mile loop in the neighborhood upwards of 40 times.
But I will not let Mr. 82-year-old Marathon man let me down. Next week is my first widely anticipated 5K of the season. I'm feeling good and have things to look forward to. This is the race where it all began last year. I'm not kidding myself. I may not beat last year's time after fighting the injury bug for so long this winter. But I will miss my mom. She was here to run it with me last year. She actually took 3rd place for her age group! It will be sad to do it without her this year. Maybe she can run it in a heavy sweatsuit with Mr. Mandelbaum after they vote for their favorite mailbox choice!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Take a Break!!!
I just got back from a run. The wind is gusting at least 20 miles per hour and it sucks. I tried to run with the wind at my back most of the time, but any half-way intelligent person clearly knows that at some point, I was going to have to turn into that wind. When I did, I felt like a whale swimming in mud. The only thing I could do was try to distract myself, bury myself deep in thought, to try to block out the fact that I was running but getting no where.
As most mothers do, I thought about things going on with Sam. He greeted me yesterday morning, early of course, by whispering "Happy Spring Break" in my ear. Aaahhhh, spring break. It means so many things to many different people, depending on your stage in life. Just the words spring break give such a sense of freedom, hope, and, dare I say, laziness? It got me to thinking about how I've spent spring break over the years.
When my sister and I were little kids, we spent all of our time outside of school at Grandma Alf's house. She was in no way related to us, but was Grandma nonetheless. That woman could peel an entire apple with a paring knife without ever lifting the knife from the apple, ending up with a perfect coil of apple peel and the most deliciously peeled apple. She also introduced us to the best soap of all time, Days of Our Lives. This show influenced many years of spring break. It also leads a girl to wonder how much work Deidre Hall has had done to continue Marlena's ageless character all these years.
As we got older, we stayed home for spring break. There was always a miserable list of chores that included raking pebbles out of the ditch that the snowplow had put there over the winter. But, as dutifully vain teenage girls would, we donned bikinis for the dreaded task in order to begin work on our tans. Never mind it was only 54 degrees and the wind was likely gusting as it is today. There was the necessary noon break for Days and the yet unchanged Marlena. In the afternoon, we moved our bikinis out to lawn chairs in the backyard, shielded from the wind, where we ate Hostess Cupcakes and drank Mountain Dew without gaining a pound. Now, those were the days.
Probably the most memorable spring break for my sister and I was the year I was a freshman in college. She was still in high school and I was allowed to accompany her on the Spanish Club trip to Mexico. It was our first "sister vacation"; a whole week away from our parents, with very little supervision. There were a few spats. I wouldn't share my money when she had spent all of hers, typical. She smoked cigarettes in the hotel bathroom at the risk of getting sent home immediately if she had been caught. We both endlessly flirted with boys. Big surprise there.
I haven't had a spring break like that since 1994. Responsibilities started showing up. School, work, a house to take care of. But now I have discovered, OH JOY, spring break still exists!!! Starting with a "Happy Spring Break" whispered in my ear, we have already had a bike accident, an Easter Egg Hunt, and way too much junk food. And it's only Day 2!!!
So that's what occurred to me as I pushed through the wind, along with a few random thoughts. Did you know that Will I. Am's favorite Black Eyed Peas song is Boom Boom Pow? Could anyone possibly love avocados as much as me? Did you know that my parents actually moved to Florida? They really did! This is not just an extended vacation.
So, you can guess where I'm headed for spring break. Sam is beaming with excitement. And I get another chance to spend a free week in the sunshine with my sister. There won't be any bikinis, at least not on me. There probably won't be any flirting. I'm even pretty sure there won't be any Days, but I could likely turn it on and Marlena would look exactly the same. But it will be a real, actual spring break. And I feel like a kid again!!!
As most mothers do, I thought about things going on with Sam. He greeted me yesterday morning, early of course, by whispering "Happy Spring Break" in my ear. Aaahhhh, spring break. It means so many things to many different people, depending on your stage in life. Just the words spring break give such a sense of freedom, hope, and, dare I say, laziness? It got me to thinking about how I've spent spring break over the years.
When my sister and I were little kids, we spent all of our time outside of school at Grandma Alf's house. She was in no way related to us, but was Grandma nonetheless. That woman could peel an entire apple with a paring knife without ever lifting the knife from the apple, ending up with a perfect coil of apple peel and the most deliciously peeled apple. She also introduced us to the best soap of all time, Days of Our Lives. This show influenced many years of spring break. It also leads a girl to wonder how much work Deidre Hall has had done to continue Marlena's ageless character all these years.
As we got older, we stayed home for spring break. There was always a miserable list of chores that included raking pebbles out of the ditch that the snowplow had put there over the winter. But, as dutifully vain teenage girls would, we donned bikinis for the dreaded task in order to begin work on our tans. Never mind it was only 54 degrees and the wind was likely gusting as it is today. There was the necessary noon break for Days and the yet unchanged Marlena. In the afternoon, we moved our bikinis out to lawn chairs in the backyard, shielded from the wind, where we ate Hostess Cupcakes and drank Mountain Dew without gaining a pound. Now, those were the days.
Probably the most memorable spring break for my sister and I was the year I was a freshman in college. She was still in high school and I was allowed to accompany her on the Spanish Club trip to Mexico. It was our first "sister vacation"; a whole week away from our parents, with very little supervision. There were a few spats. I wouldn't share my money when she had spent all of hers, typical. She smoked cigarettes in the hotel bathroom at the risk of getting sent home immediately if she had been caught. We both endlessly flirted with boys. Big surprise there.
I haven't had a spring break like that since 1994. Responsibilities started showing up. School, work, a house to take care of. But now I have discovered, OH JOY, spring break still exists!!! Starting with a "Happy Spring Break" whispered in my ear, we have already had a bike accident, an Easter Egg Hunt, and way too much junk food. And it's only Day 2!!!
So that's what occurred to me as I pushed through the wind, along with a few random thoughts. Did you know that Will I. Am's favorite Black Eyed Peas song is Boom Boom Pow? Could anyone possibly love avocados as much as me? Did you know that my parents actually moved to Florida? They really did! This is not just an extended vacation.
So, you can guess where I'm headed for spring break. Sam is beaming with excitement. And I get another chance to spend a free week in the sunshine with my sister. There won't be any bikinis, at least not on me. There probably won't be any flirting. I'm even pretty sure there won't be any Days, but I could likely turn it on and Marlena would look exactly the same. But it will be a real, actual spring break. And I feel like a kid again!!!
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