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.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
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!!!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Mind Over Matter
Things that hurt require a lot of mental energy. My two prime examples. . . running and childbirth. Both of them hurt but both of them are manageable. But I don't think either one can be accomplished, drug free, without some serious mental stamina.
When I was pregnant with Sam, I read all the books on natural childbirth. I was determined to do it without an epidural. Not because I'm some naturalist,drug free, tree hugger or anything like that. But because I was scared to death of a giant needle in my back. Yes, ladies, that's how it's done. The first time I watched an epidural insertion in nursing school, I blacked out and had to eat a donut in the nurses station. That's why I'm a psych nurse. And yes, I HAD to eat it. They made me.
So with my strong fear of the needle in my back, I set my mind on natural childbirth. I spent hours visualizing the hospital room, how I would remain calm, how I would breathe through it and everything would be smooth. When you picture something enough in your mind, it's that much easier when the time comes. And while I admit childbirth hurts, I was ready, and it helped so much.
Today, I decided that is how I will approach this half marathon. Like childbirth. Starting today, I am going to spend time visualizing each mile, each step, and each breath. . . . pain free. I know it's going to be hard, but in the end it will be well worth it. And I'll get to sleep when it's over, NOT like childbirth.
I encourage you to try this. Next time you face a really tough physical challenge, picture yourself succeeding. Watch yourself, in your mind, jumping higher, running faster, pushing harder. You CAN make it happen. Our minds are amazing. . . and that's really why I'm a psych nurse.
When I was pregnant with Sam, I read all the books on natural childbirth. I was determined to do it without an epidural. Not because I'm some naturalist,drug free, tree hugger or anything like that. But because I was scared to death of a giant needle in my back. Yes, ladies, that's how it's done. The first time I watched an epidural insertion in nursing school, I blacked out and had to eat a donut in the nurses station. That's why I'm a psych nurse. And yes, I HAD to eat it. They made me.
So with my strong fear of the needle in my back, I set my mind on natural childbirth. I spent hours visualizing the hospital room, how I would remain calm, how I would breathe through it and everything would be smooth. When you picture something enough in your mind, it's that much easier when the time comes. And while I admit childbirth hurts, I was ready, and it helped so much.
Today, I decided that is how I will approach this half marathon. Like childbirth. Starting today, I am going to spend time visualizing each mile, each step, and each breath. . . . pain free. I know it's going to be hard, but in the end it will be well worth it. And I'll get to sleep when it's over, NOT like childbirth.
I encourage you to try this. Next time you face a really tough physical challenge, picture yourself succeeding. Watch yourself, in your mind, jumping higher, running faster, pushing harder. You CAN make it happen. Our minds are amazing. . . and that's really why I'm a psych nurse.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
If you've ever been to a yoga class, you probably know what a sun salutation is. If you haven't, it's a series of movements with accompanied breaths that allows you to stretch and strengthen your body. Yoga also includes a spiritual component and most of you who know me well know that I have a pretty hard time with anything spiritual. I can't put blind faith in things that don't make sense to me. (Hence the irony of the Mary in the Bathtub that remains in our back yard to this day)
So today I went to yoga class and in celebration of spring, we did 108 sun salutations in one hour and 20 minutes. I have never done more than 15 sun salutations in a row. I was the youngest one in the class so I did every single one of those salutations without any pose modifications. I was not about to be out done. Let me just say, for the record, I don't think there was any competitive component to the class so I'm not sure why I had this point to prove. Well, there was snow on the ground this morning and it was cloudy and gloomy when I left for class. After the hour and 20 minutes, the sun was brightly shining. The real me believes this had something to do with jet streams or air quality or any other scientific method of observing weather. But the me who did 108 sun salutations would like to believe that somehow the sun gods or Mother Nature or Mary in my backyard or the Dali Lama or SOMEONE greater than Pete Petoniak (the meteorologist on Fox 11) witnessed our efforts and rewarded us with the sunshine on this first day of spring. Now if that same higher power would make my pain disappear, she would surely make me a believer.
As I take on the next week, I will be starting with a call to a doctor's office. Yes, after 3 weeks, I have decided this pain is not healing on its own and I may need the help of a physical therapist or sports medicine doctor who can help me get back on my feet and start training again. I dread the paper gown and the foreign hands touching my hip (that is not well toned to say it as nicely as possible). But the time has come. No amount of yoga has helped. I've pretty much acheived frost bite from the amount of ice I've been using. And I think all the ibuprofen has created an ulcer in my stomach. For the next two days, I am not going to sit here and dread making this call. I think instead I'll go out in the back yard sunshine with a cup of coffee and ask Mary what she thinks I should do.
Have a great week everyone.
So today I went to yoga class and in celebration of spring, we did 108 sun salutations in one hour and 20 minutes. I have never done more than 15 sun salutations in a row. I was the youngest one in the class so I did every single one of those salutations without any pose modifications. I was not about to be out done. Let me just say, for the record, I don't think there was any competitive component to the class so I'm not sure why I had this point to prove. Well, there was snow on the ground this morning and it was cloudy and gloomy when I left for class. After the hour and 20 minutes, the sun was brightly shining. The real me believes this had something to do with jet streams or air quality or any other scientific method of observing weather. But the me who did 108 sun salutations would like to believe that somehow the sun gods or Mother Nature or Mary in my backyard or the Dali Lama or SOMEONE greater than Pete Petoniak (the meteorologist on Fox 11) witnessed our efforts and rewarded us with the sunshine on this first day of spring. Now if that same higher power would make my pain disappear, she would surely make me a believer.
As I take on the next week, I will be starting with a call to a doctor's office. Yes, after 3 weeks, I have decided this pain is not healing on its own and I may need the help of a physical therapist or sports medicine doctor who can help me get back on my feet and start training again. I dread the paper gown and the foreign hands touching my hip (that is not well toned to say it as nicely as possible). But the time has come. No amount of yoga has helped. I've pretty much acheived frost bite from the amount of ice I've been using. And I think all the ibuprofen has created an ulcer in my stomach. For the next two days, I am not going to sit here and dread making this call. I think instead I'll go out in the back yard sunshine with a cup of coffee and ask Mary what she thinks I should do.
Have a great week everyone.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Making a Comeback. . . .
I have no real topic today. Just a collection of rather random ideas. In case you are wondering, I haven't seen a doctor or a nurse or a chiropractor or physical therapist or anyone else who might diagnose and help my hip pain. I, instead, put my hip to the test at the Black Eyed Peas show. I danced and jumped for a good 3 hours and it was ok. Now I will admit that I had to do about a half hour's worth of yoga stretches when I got back to the hotel room. I never had to do that in my 20's!!
Then I got some new shoes. Another good solution to pain associated with running. Today was the Shamrock Shuffle, a 5K at UW Oshkosh. Donning the new New Balances, I managed to run the majority of it and feel pretty good. Not bad considering there has been no running going on here for a couple of weeks. Thanks to my gals Edna, Sandy/Tamara, and Annie for joining me and giving me a good laugh just toward the end of the course.
A note to those of you who live in or near Ripon. . . .Jenny Tumas does a great yoga class on Saturday mornings and Wednesday nights. Those classes have helped my hip pain more than anything else I have done and I still felt like a got a good workout.
So this may be a turning point, a fresh start. I can't wait to get back on track. I can't wait to come up with a better, more creative idea for this blog next week. I can't wait to get out of these stinky running clothes! I hope you all have a wonderful week. I will be begging mother nature for some sunshine and hoping to start logging some good miles again!
Then I got some new shoes. Another good solution to pain associated with running. Today was the Shamrock Shuffle, a 5K at UW Oshkosh. Donning the new New Balances, I managed to run the majority of it and feel pretty good. Not bad considering there has been no running going on here for a couple of weeks. Thanks to my gals Edna, Sandy/Tamara, and Annie for joining me and giving me a good laugh just toward the end of the course.
A note to those of you who live in or near Ripon. . . .Jenny Tumas does a great yoga class on Saturday mornings and Wednesday nights. Those classes have helped my hip pain more than anything else I have done and I still felt like a got a good workout.
So this may be a turning point, a fresh start. I can't wait to get back on track. I can't wait to come up with a better, more creative idea for this blog next week. I can't wait to get out of these stinky running clothes! I hope you all have a wonderful week. I will be begging mother nature for some sunshine and hoping to start logging some good miles again!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
An Uncertain Future
Running is hard. It's hard mentally and it's hard on your body. I keep questioning, why is it that something meant to make you so healthy can cause so many problems? It's been a hard week. Mentally, emotionally, physically. My hip is on fire. Not sure what caused it but my guess is that I increased distance too fast. Tried to over do it. And now I'm kind of stuck below square one, if there is such a spot to be.
Here is the problem with this scenario. I HATE doctors. Funny, huh, being in the medical profession. If I saw a patient with this pain, I would suggest they see someone in a fast hurry if they ever wanted to recover and start running again. But when it's myself, I will do nearly anything to avoid going to the doctor. I have no idea where I aquired this trait from. Hmmm. . . . maybe it has something to do with having a nurse-mother who forced my sister to keep ice skating even though she had fallen and was screaming in pain. In the same incident, we had to go to the grocery store before finally deciding something was probably wrong. Um, yeah, she fractured her arm. Oops. Then there was the 3 days I had to wait to go to the doctor while doubled over in pain with a burning fever. Oh, yeah, a perforated appendix. Hmmmm. . . .
So, I learned as a child that you have an immune system and endorphins for a reason. Your body is designed to heal itself and in most cases, it does just fine on its own. You will never see me at a doctor for a cold, cough, or fever. I rarely go in for the necessary female stuff. And I will have to drag myself in the door to get this looked at.
So I'm upset. Race season is just around the corner and I am losing my conditioning by the minute. My first 5K is next weekend and it looks like I'll be walking it. At least I'll be with some great gals. But, for the record, I will run this half marathon in October no matter what it takes. Even if it means getting the help of a medical professional. Maybe I'll just avoid the doctors. I like nurses better anyway.
Here is the problem with this scenario. I HATE doctors. Funny, huh, being in the medical profession. If I saw a patient with this pain, I would suggest they see someone in a fast hurry if they ever wanted to recover and start running again. But when it's myself, I will do nearly anything to avoid going to the doctor. I have no idea where I aquired this trait from. Hmmm. . . . maybe it has something to do with having a nurse-mother who forced my sister to keep ice skating even though she had fallen and was screaming in pain. In the same incident, we had to go to the grocery store before finally deciding something was probably wrong. Um, yeah, she fractured her arm. Oops. Then there was the 3 days I had to wait to go to the doctor while doubled over in pain with a burning fever. Oh, yeah, a perforated appendix. Hmmmm. . . .
So, I learned as a child that you have an immune system and endorphins for a reason. Your body is designed to heal itself and in most cases, it does just fine on its own. You will never see me at a doctor for a cold, cough, or fever. I rarely go in for the necessary female stuff. And I will have to drag myself in the door to get this looked at.
So I'm upset. Race season is just around the corner and I am losing my conditioning by the minute. My first 5K is next weekend and it looks like I'll be walking it. At least I'll be with some great gals. But, for the record, I will run this half marathon in October no matter what it takes. Even if it means getting the help of a medical professional. Maybe I'll just avoid the doctors. I like nurses better anyway.
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