Putting Others First

I know a lot of people don't like to make New Year's Resolutions but I'm not one of them.  I {heart} resolutions.  Or goals, or intentions or whatever you choose to call them - I {heart} them all!  I like taking time to reflect on (what I can remember of) the past year and seeking God's will for me in the year to come.

Over the past several weeks God has been leading me to put others first.  You see, over the years I have become very good at making sure my needs are met.  I have plenty of down time, I indulge occasionally, I forgive myself when I fall short, I spend most of my time doing things I enjoy with people I love.  I have essentially designed my life with my comfort in mind, surrounding myself with people, experiences and things that encourage me, support me and bring me joy.  It's an admittedly selfish way of life and one that I think most people should embrace for a season of their life.  However, while making it all about me is good and well for a time, God has made it clear to me that the time has come to move on and start focusing more of my energy outward - on the needs and desires of others. 

To put it plainly - this will not be easy for me.  In all honesty, putting others first goes against my nature.  It sounds terrible but it's true.  I'm not saying I am incapable of, or even dislike, caring for and helping others.  It's just that usually when I do so there is something in it for me.  I'm not going out of my way or sacrificing anything of myself to achieve the result.  I don't know what it looks like to be intentional about putting others first in a life full of personal responsibility and obligations that I can't easily walk away from.  Putting others first is a much more abstract resolution than I am used to.  There is no easy way to measure my progress or success.  I don't imagine it will be something I master in 366 days (2012 is a leap year) and move on from in 2013.  It just doesn't fit nicely in a resolution box.  But it is where God has brought me and I will do my best to listen, follow and obey Him as he continues to lead.   

I am blessed to be exiting a season of selfishness as I enter this season of selflessness.  I am full of peace, love, confidence and all other measures of joy.  I am open to giving freely and generously from what I've been given and I know that, as with all things, there needs to be balance.  Finding the balance may just be the most difficult - and important - aspect of this journey. 

A Day in the Life - Black Friday - Cyber Monday

Where were we?  Oh yes!  We had just snuggled up into bed after a fabulously fun day celebrating Thanksgiving on our own - remember?  As I noted previously we had tossed around the idea of going to Macy's at midnight on Black Friday but we decided to get a bit of rest and leave the door busting to the pros. 

Black Friday
After a quick breakfast we took a short walk (1.5 blocks to be precise) to the Light Rail station.  We hopped on and rode to the end of the line (or maybe it's the beginning) which just happens to be the Mall of America (go BIG or go home!).  After picking up the mandatory Starbucks we made a bee-line for the American Girl store.  A very special almost-but-not-quite 2 year old will be getting a very special doll this Christmas!  Her auntie might be more excited about this than she is - we'll see.  The mall was busy but not overly crowded (though I hear it got worse as the day went on - record breaking attendance).  We shopped for a while and then hopped back on the train and made our way back to the hotel.  We enjoyed a bit of downtime and then made our way to Manny's Steakhouse (just a few short blocks from our hotel) for dinner.  Manny's is known for their steaks, seafood and GIGANTIC portions.  You can actually order a 3 lb+ piece of meat - the "Bludgeon of Beef" but they also have some more reasonably sized options.  We both opted for the smallest (8oz) filet - Best.Steak.Ever.  I'm not kidding - this was the best steak I have ever eaten - nothing fancy, just a really good cut of meat prepared really well.  Yummm!  Of course there were drinks and salads and sides and desserts that were also fabulous but really - if you're going to Manny's it's all about the steak.  Chris and I have found a new favorite restaurant for special occasion dining - we will definitely be back!

Saturday
Saturday was a restful day.  We hung out downtown and explored the ins and outs of the skyway system.  We walked through the Macy's Christmas display (bonus - MUCH lighter crowds during the day - virtually no line), had lunch and shopped a bit more.  At night we took a short walk (.5 blocks) to Nicollet Mall and watched the Holidazzle Parade before heading out to meet our nephew (visiting from California) and his mom & dad for dinner at Buster's on 28th.  This was the only time during our entire stay that we had our car pulled from the parking ramp.  Buster's is a bit of a hole in the wall.  They are known for their large assortment of beer (99 bottles and many on tap) but they also have a great food menu.  It was nice to spend time with our nephew and to hear stories of the Perzel family Thanksgiving celebration (that we normally attend). 

Sunday/Monday
We packed up our bags and checked out of our room.  We both enjoyed our little retreat immensely but we were also both ready to be home again.  We eagerly drove to pick up our Little Black Angel from the kennel.  We had missed him fiercely and could hardly wait to smother him with hugs and kisses.  It was all I could do to not squeeze the stuffing out of him when they returned him to us.  Oh how I love that little dog. 

And then we were home.   And there were bills to pay, and laundry to be washed, and groceries to be ordered, and...  It's amazing how quickly life piles up when you check out for a few days.  Monday would bring us back to work - something we are never really prepared for but that comes as even more of a shock after an extended time away in a bit of a fantasy world where the food is always perfect, everything is just a few short blocks from where you are and someone sneaks in and cleans your room for you while you are out.

I hope you enjoyed tagging along for our little getaway.  The telling was a longer journey than I had intended but we made it to the end - together.  Only time will tell if this new tradition will stand - just between you and me- I hope it does!

A Day in the Life - Thanksgiving Day

As you remember from the end of my last post, my sweetie and I had just collapsed into a heavenly bed at the Westin in Minneapolis.  Here's a peek at our room.

Our Heavenly Bed:

We woke early on Thanksgiving morning - about 6:00 AM - and went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.  I sipped coffee and ate a light breakfast of yogurt, fruit and honey (I'm not much of a breakfast eater and I really don't like to run on a full stomach) while Chris ordered and ate to his heart's content.  After breakfast we went back to the room to get ready for the Turkey Day 5K - I would be running while Chris cheered on the crowds stood waiting for me at our designated meeting spot. 

The race venue was only a few blocks from our hotel.  It was a beautiful day - sun shining, no wind, and "mild" temperatures - but we are in Minnesota so it was still quite cold especially for the spectators.  Thankfully, the hot chocolate was flowing freely when we arrived.  The Turkey Day 5K is is a very popular race - I would estimate about 20,000 were in attendance and many people brought their dogs which was nice as by this time Chris and I were missing our little black angel quite a bit.  Here's a pre-race photo.

The race itself went well.  It really is a fun run in all senses of the term.  The course winds through downtown Minneapolis passing many of the sites that make Minneapolis such a fun place to be.  I actually managed to maintain a pretty good pace despite the crowds.  In true Thanksgiving style I ran a 5K "with gravy" (3.25 miles) as a result of weaving back and forth in an attempt to keep running in a crowd of 20,000.  I found Chris quickly after I finished the race and we headed back to the hotel to rest a bit before dinner.

Chris and I haven't had television service for a couple of years so having access to live TV is a huge perk.  When we got back to the hotel we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!  This was seriously one of the highlights of my day.

Yep - that's the big guy (Santa)!  And yes, I am so cool I actually take pictures of events on TV.  Lest you think my husband shared my level of excitement I believe his exact words as I took this picture were "I never thought I would be sitting in a hotel room with you taking pictures of the TV."

Next it was time for Thanksgiving dinner.  We enjoyed a bountiful buffet at Windows on Minnesota on the 50th floor of the IDS Center conveniently located just a couple of blocks from our hotel.  The IDS Center was beautifully decorated for the holidays.  Here's the tree that greeted us as we entered the building.

We were seated at a table by the window and had a great view of the city.  We had fun trying to identify different landmarks throughout the metro area.  My sense of direction is crazy-bad so I just nodded my head and trusted Chris as he pointed out the various landmarks and points of interest.

After a leisurely meal we went back to the hotel.  Chris had watched the movie Bridesmaids with his mom the week before and insisted that we watch it after dinner.  He was so certain I would love it I couldn't say no and I have to say, he was right - it is a FUNNY movie.  After the movie we went down to the bar in the hotel and had a couple of drinks (they have the BEST mojitos!) before ultimately returning to our room and ordering room service.  We had toyed with the idea of going to Macy's (just a couple of blocks from our hotel) at midnight but not being die-hard Black Friday shoppers we ended up calling it a night and sleeping through the 12:00 AM opening.

Chris and I had a beautiful Thanksgiving but our trip wasn't over yet.  Stay tuned for the details on the rest of our trip from Black Friday - Cyber Monday.  

A Day in the Life - Getting There

So how does a young, beautiful, hip, married couple with a darling dog and no children celebrate Thanksgiving?  I don't know!  But I can't wait to tell you about how my sweetie and I celebrated this year.  I'm pretty sure we've established a new tradition and you get to come along for the recap of its inaugural year.  I know, you can hardly contain your excitement - right?!

First, let's dispel a myth that I have encountered many times in my life.  Despite popular belief - people without children are not able to pick up and go at the drop of a hat - we plan and prepare just like the rest of the world.  Here's a glimpse at what it took to get us to the start of our celebration.

October
Back in October we decided that this year we were going to celebrate Thanksgiving alone - together!  The first order of business was to make sure we could both take the Friday after Thanksgiving off from work.  The stars aligned and before Chris could change his mind I booked a room at our favorite hotel and made reservations for the dog to stay at the kennel pet resort he frequents when we travel.  Then we broke the news to his family - we would not be celebrating with them this year.  Let's just say they weren't as excited about our plan as we were.

T-minus 3 days
We worked really hard during the days leading up to Thanksgiving.  We put in long days at work (so as not to regret taking Friday off) and then we doubled up on errands and household chores in the evening - accomplishing a week's worth of work in three days.  Note that this hurried pace of life required us to stop working out and eat like crap. 

Thanksgiving Eve - AM
On the morning of Thanksgiving Eve we dropped off our little black angel at the pet resort.  This was a heart-wrenching activity though it was made easier by the need to get to work and the long list of to dos that remained for the day as well as the knowledge that we could watch him via web-cam during our time apart.

Thanksgiving Eve - PM
A slightly late start, a few last errands and holiday traffic extended our evening commute time getting us home with about 15 minutes to spare before I needed to leave for a volunteering gig at church.  While I was at church my sweetie finished his packing and the last few household chores.  When I returned I finished packing, we loaded up the car and - at long last - made our way to the beautiful hotel in the big city where we would be staying for the next 4 days.  When we arrived the Valet parked our car, we checked-in, unpacked, took a deep breath and collapsed into bed - exhausted, but certain that this was going to be a very memorable Thanksgiving.


Are you having fun yet?!  I can't tell you how relived I was to finally be at the hotel.  Stay tuned to find out what we did on Thanksgiving and the days that followed - fun stuff!

Thankful Thursday

I'm hiding away ALL weekend in a lovely little wonderland filled with friends, food, and all the "me" time I could possibly desire.  Three full days of bliss...  Tonight, I am thoroughly enjoying the company of two very dear friends and tomorrow six more will arrive!  I seriously think my heart just might BURST with JOY!

So what am I thankful for today?

• A weekend with friends - old and new
• Freshly brewed coffee
• God's mercy - new every morning
• WiFi - even when I'm hiding away
• Other people's iPod playlists

So much to be thankful for - and honestly, so much I still choose to complain about.  While the blessings in my life are truely abundant I still often struggle to keep them at the forefront of my thoughts.  While intellectually I know that I am blessed beyond measure my humanity still desires to dwell on the less pleasant aspects of my life - aspects that some would likely consider blessings in themselves.  It's a vicious circle fueled by the enemy and all the more reason to spend time focused on all that I've been given and all that I have to give.

Be thankful...

Guess who's (not) coming to dinner?

I am all about family.  Chris and I spend more time with each other than most couples we know and together we spend more time with our families than most families we know.  We talk with our family members several times a week.  We email, Facebook and read our family member's blogs.  We have planned weekly gatherings with each of our families and we often get together at other times during the week for various reasons (bible study, football games, church, meals, etc).  This is all with what I consider our "immediate" family - our parents, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews. 

In addition, we get together frequently with our "extended" family - grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  Most of these gatherings center around the youngest generation's birthdays but we also get together for tea, holidays, the occasional "cousin's day out" and a family picnic here and there.  Did I mention that my sister and my aunt are my very best friends?  They are.  I'd rather be with them than just about anyone (nieces and nephews excluded).  I really can't think of a better way to spend my time than with my family - sometimes we even vacation together.  Have I made my point clear?  I'm a family girl who is soooooo blessed to be part of a family family!

I paint this picture, not for you to judge or compare to your own situation, but to help you understand the significance of what I'm about to tell you.  This is not coming from someone who loathes her family or wishes to escape from them.  Get ready for this...



Chris and I are celebrating Thanksgiving by ourselves this year!


Can you believe it?!  We've talked about this before but it always ends up falling through for one reason or another.  Not this year - this year the reservations are made, the dog has an appointment at the pet resort and we've already broken the news to our dear family that WE won't be coming to Thanksgiving dinner!  In fact, we will be staying downtown for the entire extended weekend.  I can't tell you how exciting this is for us.  We plan to set the tone for the this holiday season in a relaxing, peaceful, atmosphere - celebrating with gratitude all we've been given and all that we have to give.  And we have some fun up our sleeves as well - more on that in a future post.

I am mostly excited about this adventure but a part of me feels like this is a terribly selfish act and I suppose in a way it is.  But we're OK with that.  Because while we will miss spending time with our families, while I will miss making homemade cranberries, while we will miss watching our baby niece and nephew experience this holiday - we also know that the following week we will be back to talking, emailing, gathering and celebrating with them all.

Thankful Thursday - Photo Edition

It's only been a couple of days since my last post but I'm happy to report I've stayed true to my plan and have spent a little bit of time each day reflecting on what I'm thankful for.  So far - so good.  Today I thought I'd shake things up a bit and share some pictures of what I'm thankful for.  I know - it's hard to contain your excitement - so I'll get right to it.

Mmmmm - S'mores



My feet actually get happy when I put these on.



Summers at the lake - and jelly beans in ice cream cones



My rides

Facebook, blogs, email, Netflix, iTunes - need I say more?

30 Days of Thanksgiving

Photo Credit

One of my life ambitions is to dwell in a constant state of gratitude.  My ambition is unlikely to be achieved on this side of Heaven but I know that the mere act of trying will result in good.  I realize that choosing to focus on fostering gratitude in my life during the month of November is a bit cliche.  Oh well!  I encourage you to embrace the cliche with me this month and spend a few moments each day reflecting on that for which you are thankful and filling your heart with gratitude.  I will be recording my thoughts in a written journal throughout the month but I plan to check in here on occasion to share my gratitude with you and maybe inspire you to share yours as well. 

5 Things I'm Thankful For Today:

1. My loving husband
2. Our Little Black Angel
3. Jimmie, Nathan, David, Wyatt, Anaka & Paige
4. Good health
5. Spell Check*

*Funny note - when I ran the spelling checker on this post I found that EVERY instance of the word "gratitude" was misspelled.  At least I'm consistent!



My Favorite Things: Running Edition

I do a fair amount of running.  Over the years I have tried out a lot of different running aids - books, clothing, shoes, water bottles, gadgets, guided MP3 workouts - the list goes on.  A few have stood the test of time and have become my favorites.

Garmin 310XT

I bought my Garmin 310XT late last summer and it has quickly become my favorite running partner.  I will admit that I don't take full advantage of its features and functionality but I am convinced it can't be beat for measuring distance and pace while looking super cool.  This year I bought the quick release kit and started using it as my biking computer as well.  I love that I can upload info to the web wirelessly to track and review my workouts and that I can sync my workouts with other programs like Daily Mile.  In addition to all of this it has a 20 hour battery life, recharges easily, acquires its signal quickly, can be used as a heart rate monitor and works well in virtually all weather and trail conditions.


iPod

We have an abundant supply of iPods in our house.  My favorite iPod for running is the latest iPod Nano.  It clips on like the iPod shuffle but still has a GUI so I have more freedom in choosing what I listen to while I run.  I love that I don't have to wear it on my arm or put it in my pocket.  I usually clip it onto my my tank top or bra - sort of right where my heart is.  I also love that it has a radio tuner for those days I'm stuck in the gym and have the opportunity to watch TV while I workout.  And mine is red - which makes me love it just a little bit more!


Title Nine Reflective Cap 

I love, love, LOVE this hat!  It fits well, looks good and wicks the sweat from my forehead before it has a chance to drip down my face and into my eyes.  The one I have is almost all white and does an all around good job of keeping my head cool during my workouts.  It has a sweat band at the base of the brim and the brim itself seems to magically attract moisture to it - and away from my face.  It's also machine washable, lightweight and a lifesaver for early morning runs.

There you have it - a few of my favorite running things.  I actually have a few more I could share but I'll save those for another post.

Keep breathing... and running!

An injury update

I've been icing, stretching, strengthening and rolling my knee/ IT band a lot over the last 4 weeks.  After talking with the doctor I started "running" on the elliptical.  While I love that it allowed me to keep up my endurance without further injuring my knee I quickly was reminded why I don't use the elliptical more often.  After about 20 minutes my feet start to go numb - by 25 minutes in I'm seriously questioning the wisdom of continuing.  So needless to say my first few workouts were not overly strenuous.  About a week later I progressed to an elliptical/treadmill combo workout, then on to a treadmill only workout and then finally - just this past Saturday an outdoor run.  While I am definitely improving I can't honestly say I'm where I would like to be (understatement).  You might remember that until recently I was planning to run a half marathon this past Sunday.  More than that - I was planning to redeem myself from my disappointing finish in the Stillwater Half Marathon earlier this year.  Nope - I didn't do either of those things this past Sunday.

But there is hope on the horizon!  First, this Thursday I am planning to run the third race in the Life Time Trail Series.  I signed up for this series back in February but I missed the first two (of five) races due to my injury.  This will be a 3.2 mile trail run in French Park - I'm totally psyched and quite confident I will be able to finish given the distance and terrain.  Even better - this Sunday I am participating in the Minneapolis Duathlon with my aunt - the plan is that I will run the 5Ks at the beginning and end and she will bike the 18 miles in the middle.  If push-comes-to-shove and my knee decides not to accept the invitation to join me for this race she will run and I will bike.  My aunt is a killer biker who typically runs only when she has to.  I'm not saying she isn't a good runner - just that it isn't her activity of choice so offering to let me bike in her place is pretty big.  Isn't she a good auntie?  Trust me - she's a rock star!  I'm not planning to take her up on her offer but I know as well as anyone that it's always good to have a Plan B - or even Plan C!

So that's it - my big goal is two 5Ks on Sunday.  There is a huge amount of irony in that statement. When we signed up for the Duathlon I thought this would be an easy run following my second half marathon of the year - now I'm not even sure I'll be able to run the race.  Humbling.

I am blessed

Today is a very special day for a very special person in my life - it's my husband's birthday.  I considered writing about how wonderful he is but doing so doesn't seem quite right given his private nature - and quite honestly I'm not sure I want to share so much of him with the world (or even the handful of family and friends who actually read my blog!).  Call me selfish but I am blessed to be one of the few who know him intimately and have true knowledge of just how fabulous he is.  Happy Birthday Sweatpea!

As I've contemplated how blessed I am to have my sweetie over the past few days it has inevitably brought to mind many other blessings God has given me and my family.  I know that I am not worthy of His abundant love and gracious gifts.  I know that I am richly blessed and yet I so often find myself focusing not on all that I have but on all that I so desperately want.  Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing and kind of makes me sick when I stop to think about it. 

It is my heart's desire to see my life as God sees it.  I want to overcome my tendency to take for granted and overlook all that I have - all that I've been given.  I want to overcome my tendency to complain  - sometimes over all that I have - sometimes over all that I so desperately want.  I want my focus to be on God and His ways rather than the world and its ways.  I want to dwell in a place of joy and content, overflowing with gratitude - a place that does not rely on the perfect mix of circumstances but rather a place that relies on the One and Only who is truly reliable.  I know that I will fall short but I am hopeful that the act of trying will itself be a blessing.

Plan C

It all started earlier this year when I ran the Stillwater Half Marathon and missed my goal time of 1:55:00 by 4 minutes - in some ways, so closebut in all ways that mattered, so far from what I had hoped to achieve.  I was determined to redeem myself from this disappointing finish and to prove that I had a 1:55:00 finish in me. I quickly created a plan:

Plan A: Run the Minneapolis 13.1 Half Marathon in 1:55:00.

I signed up for the race, developed a training plan and began diligently following the plan. 3 weeks in I developed an IT Band injury. No worries - I rested for a full week and massaged and stretched my IT Band frequently. Confident that my quick diagnosis and wise actions had healed my injury I hopped on a treadmill the next week and - well, hobbled off 2.5 miles later. Realizing that I was going to loose at least one more week of training and that the race was already only 6 weeks away it was time to develop a new plan:

Plan B: Run the Minneapolis 13.1 Half Marathon. 

No time goal - the pressure is off! It might not be fast or pretty but it will be 13.1 miles more than most people will run that day. Who knows, maybe the lack of focus and strategy will help and I'll run faster than I expect. And so after two additional weeks of resting, massaging and stretching I walked out the door into a beautiful morning and started running. It felt GREAT to be outside and running again - until about 1.5 miles in when my knee started to hurt. Seriously!? Is this really happening?!

Yesterday I went to see a sports medicine doctor. He was able to confirm my self-diagnosis and develop a recovery plan that should have me back up and running at my pre-injury level in 3 - 4 weeks. We both agreed that running a half marathon in 3 weeks is not a reasonable goal {sad} but that participating in the Minneapolis Duathlon in 4 weeks should be quite achievable {happy!}. Which means it's time to develop a new plan:

Plan C:  Focus on the enormity of what I am able to do rather than dwell on what I am not.

Honestly, I'm looking forward to life on the road to recovery. I'll be icing, stretching and strengthening my way back to running. I get to reacquaint myself with the Elliptical for my first few workouts and in turn enjoy the amenities available to me at the gym that I've missed out on due to outdoor workouts (can you say "eucalyptus infused steam room"?). I get to focus on shorter running distances and in turn enjoy more balance and variety in my workout routine. I get to be reminded of the limitations of my own strength and the limitless power of my God and in turn become a more humble, faithful servant.  Who knew a running injury could be such a blessing? 

Keep Breathing... and running!

It's not the end of the world

I'll be honest - when I titled my last post 'A serious setback...' I thought I was being a bit dramatic.  I was wrong.  What started out as a somewhat welcome excuse to scale things back a bit has turned into a full blown running injury that is seriously impacting my ability to train.  After a full week of resting and rolling I hopped on a treadmill Saturday morning thinking all was well.  Less than a mile into my run my knee began to hurt.  I managed to complete 2.5 miles of running/walking - not exactly the 11 miles on my training plan.

I realize this is not the end of the world - but some days it sort of feels like it.  I'm seriously worried that I might not even be able to start my half marathon on August 21st - let alone complete it in 1:55.  I haven't given up but I have adjusted my goals.  I just want to run.  I don't care how long it takes me - I just want to experience the journey.  I don't even want to consider how awful it would be to be sitting on the sidelines.  And to add insult to injury (literally) - this is my fundraising race!  How do you solicit funds for a race you might not even be able to complete?  Ugh!!

So it's time to put on my big girl pants and get seriously focused on recovering from this injury.  I will roll out my IT Band like never before - that sucker is going to be so long and limber it wont even remember how to tighten up.  I will cross train like a rock star - people will actually start paying money to watch me workout.  I will start running again - slowly and gradually a quarter mile at a time if I have to - all pride left the building after it saw me on that treadmill last week.  I will pray - I will thank God for all that I have - I will ask Him for protection, strength and patience and I will praise Him for He alone is worthy of praise.

A serious setback and a much needed reminder

I'm injured.  It's nothing terrible like a broken leg or foot.  I can walk pretty normally and seem to be fine riding my bike but running is a different story.  I started to notice a bit of pain in my left knee toward the end of my 8 mile run on Saturday.  When I got home and out of the car I started to limp - going down the stairs was the worst.  It felt a lot like the IT Band issues I had a couple of years ago so I got out the foam roller - serious pain but I was hopeful it would help.  I made myself walk normally throughout the day thinking I just needed to work through the discomfort and it would be fine.  I was cautiously optimistic this morning when I went out to run.  I said a little prayer - asking God for protection, strength and perseverance.  I walked for a few minutes to warm things up - then I started hobbling along at a faster pace but much to my dismay after about a half mile the discomfort turned to pain and didn't subside.  I walked the remaining 1.5 miles home a bit dejected.

So it's time to come up with a new plan for the next couple of weeks.  I still think this is an IT Band issue so I'm going to keep up with the foam roller.  I'll also focus more on strength training, yoga and cross training and with a little luck I'll be up and running in plenty of time to get back on track with my Half Marathon training - you know, the one I'm going to run in 1:55. 

Oh, as I was walking home from my run - feeling dejected and sorry for myself because I couldn't run  - I came across a women that I often see walking in our neighborhood.  She's an older woman probably in her 70's or 80's but it's not her age that catches my attention - it's her speed.  She takes one painfully slow step at a time with a painfully slow pause between each step.  It takes her 10 minutes to walk the width of my driveway.  I saw her from a distance this morning - about a block away.  She only took about 3 steps before I caught up to her.  She looked at me and commented on what a beautiful day it was.  I agreed with her and then quickly thanked the Lord for blessing me with the ability to walk, and ride my bike, and swim and lift weights and do yoga and...

It was a much needed reminder of how truly blessed I am.  How I am guaranteed nothing, am worthy of nothing and yet have been given so much - all of it, every breath I take, is truly a blessing.

Keep breathing... and running!

The Seven Dwarfs

We planted the flowerbed that lines the walkway to our front door last weekend.  When we moved in 13 years ago it was nicely planted with bushes and hostas.  We thought that was dull so we pulled it all out the following year and planted flowers.  Then we realized we really didn't like gardening.  We've replanted the flowerbed almost every year until a couple of years ago when we just pulled everything out and left it as dirt.  We weeded the dirtbed occasionally but it was pretty pitiful - I'm actually surprised we weren't contacted or fined by the association regarding the neglect of our flowerbed.  But no more!  While I'm sure there is a master gardener inside me just dying to get out I ultimately decided to go a more realistic route and plant shrubs.  We are not the proud owners of Seven Dwarfs - Dwarf Golden Nugget shrubs that is.  I'm contemplating a planter with flowers but let's be real - that probably wont happen.

Our garden angel, owl rocks and 2 of the 7 Dwarfs (I'm thinking Happy and Bashful)

We did add a little bit of color with this climbing plant - it's called Candy Corn!

And with that I have just demonstrated my newest skill - using the "Save for Web" feature of Photoshop Elements (PSE).  I won't tell you how long it took me to get these two pictures edited to a reasonable size for posting.  You may have noticed a lack of pictures on my blog in recent months - hopefully this newly learned skill will bring an end to all of that!  When we purchased our new computer in January it came with PSE.  Knowing that there is a fabulous photo editor inside me that is just dying to get out (don't worry - she gets along well with the master gardner) I started up the program and - well, did nothing because I couldn't even figure out how to save a photo for posting on the web.  I can't say I've come a long way since then but I can save photos for posting on the web.  Early on in my blogging adventure my blogging mentor told me I needed to post more pictures on my blog - maybe I'll finally start following her advice.

Let the training begin!

Yesterday marked the beginning of my training for the 13.1 Minneapolis in August.  I've created my very own training plan - taking elements I liked (or that I thought were good for me) from plans I've used in the past and factoring in my schedule and what I know to be true about myself and my ability to train.  I'm pretty psyched!  Here is a look at what's in store for the next 10 weeks:

Monday - Easy Run (45 minutes)
Tuesday - Bike
Wednesday - Rest/Yoga
Thursday - Intervals (50 min w/ 10 min @ 8:45, 7.5 min @ 8:30, 5 min @ 8:15, 2.5 min @ FAST)
Friday - Rest/Yoga
Saturday - Long Run (80 - 140 minutes)
Sunday - Pace Run (40 min w/ 20 min @ 8:45)

Doesn't reading that plan just make you want to get out and RUN?!  I'm still trying to figure out the best way to work in some strength training and there will surely be other tweaks along the way but I think this is a pretty solid plan. 

I've added a Daily Mile widget to my blog so you can follow along with my training efforts - how fun is that?!  I give you full permission to run vicariously through me - but I strongly encourage you to give it a try yourself!

Keep breathing... and running!

Chasing 1:55

As you all know by now I did not achieve my goal of running the Stillwater Half Marathon in 1:55.  I will spare you the recap of my journey through regret and disappointment to a place of acceptance - to be honest, it was pretty quick and not very interesting.  Having landed in this place of acceptance I am now content with my performance and ready to settle into a more relaxed pace for the summer.

Or not.

Honestly, 1:58:57 is officially my least favorite number.  I FAILED!  I had a goal - a very specific goal.  I tailored my training to my goal and I trained hard.  I was confident - I visualized myself achieving my goal.  But I did not - in fact - achieve my goal.  So what's a girl to do?  Sign up for another Half Marathon of course!

On August 21st I will run the 13.1 Minneapolis Half Marathon - in 1:55.  This time around things will be a little bit different.  I will be humbled and filled with gratitude as I look to my Lord for strength and remember - without Him I am nothing but with Him I can do anything.  I'm going to acknowledge Him in all my ways - turning all praise back to Him.  I'm going to train harder, be more committed and I am going to achieve my goal.

And along the way I'm going to raise money for Team World Vision.  The 'Donate Now!' link at the top of my blog will bring you directly to my personal fundraising page.  I would love for you to take a little detour right now to learn more about World Vision and all the ways you can get involved in my training and fundraising efforts.  Please don't feel any pressure to donate and please don't hold back if you feel led to give.   

Keep breathing... and running!

Race Report - Stillwater Half Marathon

Saturday, May 28th - Race Day Eve
I spend the majority of the day preparing for the race. Packet pickup, driving the race course, soaking in the spa at the gym, near constant checking of the weather forecast, packing my race bag, pinning my race number to my shirt, tying my race chip to my shoe, finalizing my Marathon Mix (which will end up being more critical than I could have known), eating only foods I am certain will not cause stomach problems the next morning, setting my alarm for an INSANELY early hour and finally - sleep.

Sunday, May 29 - RACE DAY!!!
4:45 AM
Yes, I actually got out of bed at 4:45 AM - I can't believe it either.  30 minutes later we are in the car and headed toward the Stillwater Area High School where a shuttle bus will drive me to downtown Stillwater to start the race. When we arrive I have Chris drop me off by the Biffs - while I'm not crazy about public, portable bathrooms I'm also ridiculously afraid of having to go to the bathroom during a race.  As I head toward the line I realize I did not grab my sunglasses out of the car which is now driving slowly away from me on its way to the local McDonald's.  I run frantically toward the car waiving my arms as it continues to speed up and away from me.  I am finally successful in getting my husband's attention and with my sunglasses in hand I get in line to use the Biffs.  I also check warmup off my list of things to do before the race starts. 

7:00 AM
Miles 1 - 6
Have I mentioned the weather is PERFECT?!  My goal is to complete the race in 1:55.  I'm brave.  I'm strong.  I can do it!  I line up behind the 1:55 pacer and keep pace with him through the first six miles.  We run a bit faster than I am comfortable with but I'm here to race - to push myself a bit - so I keep up.  We don't exactly stop at the water stops - I'm sure we slow down a bit but I typically walk through water stops so our slowed pace really only allows me to grab a few sips of water every couple of miles.  I am prepared for this to be the hilliest section of the course and hilly it is.  Having passed mile 7 I am looking forward to the next 4 miles being relatively flat.

Miles 7 - 9
This is where it gets fun.  I have just powered through the first 6 miles of the race - up seemingly back-to-back hills with very little water.  As I head into mile 7 I am begining to loose the pacer - he's still within view but I am dropping farther and farther away from him.  And then - another hill.  This is supposed to be the flat portion of the course.  I am not mentally able to complete another hill.  I want to cry.  I walk instead.  I know - I can hardly stand to say it - but I walked - for a good 3 minutes - up hill.  It feels good to walk.  I can breathe again.  I get some interesting looks from the medical staff but I must not look as bad as I feel because they ride off without engaging me.  I know at this point I will not finish in 1:55.  I consider walking the rest of the course.  And then all of the effort I put into picking just the right music for my Marathon Mix pays off.  Our God by Chris Tomlin starts to play.  And I start to run.  I replay the song two more times - I keep running and don't stop.

Miles 10 - 13.1
Having lost the pacer during my moments of weakness I am now on my own.  I decide to walk through the water stops drinking a full glass of water and Gatorade at each.  Mile 11 is almost completely downhill - praise God!  I have my mojo back I am finishing strong.  I run hard across the finish line with Our God playing in my ears and a smile on my face - my family cheering me on.

My official time was 1:58:57

277 out of 631 Overall
96 out of 340 Females
21 out of 64 Females in the F3539 Age Group

I am happy with my results but would by lying if I said I wasn't a bit disappointed that I didn't just suck it up and run the whole race.  I trained hard but it was a tough course - hilly throughout and in the end I didn't have a 1:55 in me for this race. 

Which means I'll just have to train that much harder for my next half marathon!  That's right - I'm not giving up on my goal - I'm still chasing 1:55 - and this time I'm doing it with Team World Vision.  I'm crazy-excited and can't wait to share more with you soon. 

As a side note - Our God by Chris Tomlin is officially my new favorite song.  If this song is new to you - you are in for a treat!  It is extremely inspiring, uplifting, encouraging - and full of truth.

Keep breathing... and running!




      

Talk me down

I have been anxiously awaiting the start of my half marathon training for several weeks. I'm looking forward to the focus that comes with having a specific plan to follow and goal to achieve. I've chosen my training plan, set my goal (1:55:00) and thought through various details from training routes and cross training options to shoes and clothing to nutrition and hydration. I started my training on Monday, March 7th and will run the Stillwater Half Marathon on Sunday, May 29th. Bring it on!

Now for the 'talk me down' portion of this post. In my pre-training, and now in-training, excitement I've been spending a disproportionately large amount of time consuming running related information. Training, charitable fundraising, run clubs, gear reviews - if the word 'run' can be found anywhere on the site or in the book or magazine I have probably been there, read that. And in the midst of it all I've been bit - by the marathon bug.  And now, I am seriously contemplating running a marathon this fall.

WHAT!?!?  I honestly can't believe I just wrote that.  I really can't believe I actually published this post after I wrote that (this post has been sitting in 'draft' mode for over a week).  In fact, just a few weeks ago - on January 29th to be exact - I reaffirmed my lack of desire to run a marathon in a conversation with a friend.  I believe I said something like "I really have NO DESIRE to EVER run a marathon.".  This comment was followed by a short dissertation explaining the plethora of reasons why I shouldn't/couldn't/wouldn't run a marathon.  There is a seriously long list of reasons - here are just a few:

• I don't really think my body was built to run a marathon.
• It is incredibly difficult and takes an insane amount of time to train for a marathon.
• It's actually bad for your body to run 26.2 miles.
• My summer would be dominated by running leaving little time for other activities that I also enjoy.
• The entry fees for marathons are outrageous.

Not to mention that after I ran my first half marathon I completely stopped running for an entire month - this is basically the opposite of starting up a marathon training program.

So help me out.  Talk me down.  Hit me with your best shot.  Knock some sense into me.  I am not looking for encouragement - I am looking for the brutal, honest truth.  And know that if you are unsuccessful in your efforts I will hold you completely partially responsible when my bloodied, beaten, broken body collapses in exhaustion - after crossing the finish line, of course.

My Mom

Today is a very special day for a very special person in my life.  Today is my mom's birthday.  I am blessed to have many strong, confident women in my life but none of them have influenced me as much as my mom.  It's hard to put into words my love for her, my appreciation for all that she is and all she has done for me and the profound impact she has had (and continues to have) on the person I am today - but I'll try.

When I grow up I want to be my mom. 

She is strong and wise - she lives and loves with her whole heart.  She finds joy in the small things of life - a smile from her granddaughter, a bike ride with friends, a good book.  She is fiercely committed to her family - head over heals in love with her husband, sacrificing much to give to her daughters,  providing in every way for those closest to her.  She has never failed me.

She is the reason I am confident in my ability to accomplish whatever I set out to achieve.  She is the reason I wake up everyday expecting good things.  I'm certain that everything good in me can be tied back to her in some way.  She is - in many ways - the reason I am.   

She taught me that it's good - a privilege in fact - to serve my husband.  She taught me to love to read.  She taught me how to be best friends with my sister.  She taught me that life wont always be easy but it will always be worth it. 

There is so much more that I could share - so much I have left out - so much I've chosen to keep for myself.  I hope and pray that you have a mom that's as great as mine and I encourage you to tell her how great you think she is.

Happy Birthday Mom!  I think you're really great.

Our New Office

We recently purchased a sweet new laptop. 

Of course, if your getting a new laptop you might as well get a new router, external hard drive and USB hub.  While your at it you might as well move your office into your loft which will mean you need a new desk, chair and light fixture.  Since you will now be able to see the office from your beautiful main living space (because the loft is separated from the main living space by an open railing) you will want to make sure it doesn't really look like an office.  And since you are still paying for the 2008 Remodel project (which resulted in the beautiful main living space you are so concerned about preserving) and you really only budgeted for a new laptop you will need to make all of this happen with a very small amount of money.  Are you following me?  When all is said and done it will look something like this...

And you'll be quite pleased!  The computer, printer, modem, router and much much more is all nicely tucked away in that cute little 'compact office' - and everything is wirelessly accessible from virtually any location in the house.   

Of course, now that you have such a quaint little office space you'll need to find a way to keep your Little Black Angel (whose favorite chair used to occupy this space) from taking it over so you will do silly things like place a pillow on the seat of the chair which for some odd reason actually keeps him from jumping on it.

2011 Race Plans

I LOVE to plan - I'm actually quite good at planning and creating plans.  Sadly, I often fall short when it comes to execution.  My 2011 Race Plan is a great example.  I had planned for my first race of the year to be the Polar Dash 10K on New Year's Day.  I registered, picked up my race packet and ended up staying home the day of the race.  It was really cold and really windy and I just didn't feel like running outside that day.  I convinced myself it would actually be dangerous for me to run although several hundred other participants seemed to get through the race unscathed.  In an attempt to redeem myself I did run 6.2 miles (a 10K) on a treadmill at the gym on New Years day.  I may not have earned any bragging rights but I did get a good workout.

I'm choosing to believe that this was an anomaly rather than a pattern of behaviour to be repeated throughout the year.  I've certainly considered skipping races I've signed up for in the past - generally due to weather - but this is the first time I actually followed through.  So yes, definitely an anomaly.  On to the next!

Here is what I have planned so far:

• Securian Winter Run 10K - January 29, 2011
• Get Luck 7K - March 19, 2011
• Stillwater Half Marathon - May 29, 2011

I'm also considering several other races:  the Stillwater Lumberjack Days 10 mile, the IronGirl Duathlon in September, the Women Run the Cities 10 mile in September, the Twin Cities 10 mile in October, the Monster Dash 10 mile or Half Marathon in October and several other races - but I am currently only committed to the three races listed above.  We'll see how my legs and my pocket book are doing in June and go from there. 

I'm also considering joining Team World Vision.  Team World Vision gives you the opportunity to dedicate any race to raising funds and awareness for World Vision's work in Africa.  World Vision is an organization I trust with a purpose and mission I believe in.  I also like the idea of my races being about something other than my personal achievement.  I haven't committed yet - but you'll be the first to know if I do.

Keep Breathing...