I Did It

A month ago, on March 18th, my husband and I met up with his Aunt and Uncle to run a 10k. My second scheduled race in my pursuit of fulfilling my dream of running a marathon. This would be my first and I was worried how it would go as my training had been a bit on the hit or miss side. I was confident I would finish it. The big question was how long would I take.

The morning was chilly and overcast and the race starting area was very festive in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. The race course was on the road going around Lake Harriett in Minneapolis, MN. The 5k was once around and the 10k was twice with the 10k runners starting first. My husband ran with me while the others ran on ahead. Our pace wasn't the fastest, but steady and I was feeling good about it. I picked up my pace and left my husband behind. He had trained even less than me and I was pretty sure he was there more to encourage me than to actually run. The first loop went well with other runners passing me on a steady basis until I started on the second loop and realized the 5k runners had caught up to me and I was the only one at that point headed around the lake again. It was little lonely being the only runner on the race course. There were lots of people going around the lake, walking, running, pushing strollers, but no other runners. As I passed the halfway around the lake point one of the officers keeping traffic off the road we were running on asked me if I was the last one. I looked back and not seeing anyone who remotely looked like they were running the race said I think so and kept on running. Less than a quarter of a mile from the finish I spotted my husband coming toward me. He shouted encouragement and joined me in the final push to the end. His Aunt and Uncle were waiting to cheer me into the final stretch and across the finish line.

I did it!

I had run my first 10k and I did it at my goal pace of 15 minute miles. At the time I was pretty pumped and figured I was well on my way of running longer distances. Except there is this one little thing called 'trying to get everything done before I run' that keeps getting in the way of my running. Things like getting my mother's house ready to sell, agreeing to a third day of childcare a week, and getting ready for a two week trip to Nepal. It seems I am running around all day everyday without even putting my running shoes on. Maybe after a couple of weeks of vacation I will gain some perspective and come home more determined to put my dream of running first, or at least closer to the top of the to-do list.

Keep running my friends, never give up your dreams!

Almost Made It

I almost made it through the month of February without missing a single training run. By the third week I was feeling great, adding mileage and increasing my pace by a very small amount each week without experiencing any adverse effects other than tired achy muscles. So, foolish me, I stepped it up and wham, I found my upper limit in terms of heart rate. At 3.9 miles per hour, with a heart rate of 150, my sinuses flooded and I suspected I was in for a bad sinus headache. I dropped my speed, keeping my heart rate around 130 for the rest of my run with the hope I wouldn’t pay too much of a price for my imprudent increase in speed.

Sure enough I woke up the next morning with a painful ache in my temples, behind my eyes and across my forehead.  Not painful enough to keep me in bed, but painful enough to keep me from moving around or lifting anything for the next couple of days. It seems strange to struggle so much with sinus headaches simple because my heart rate gets elevated, but I have observed this cause and effect repeatedly for several years and am learning to live with it. Some day I may sit down with my doctor and try to figure it out, but in the mean time I remind myself that a few years ago I couldn’t let my heart rate get about 115 without suffering a headache and now I have a higher threshold, so I can do more, I just need to train at my aerobic heart rate.

Five days of rest and I was able to get outside for a one-mile jog without consequences. Good to go! At least I thought so. On the last day of February as I sat daydreaming, working on the plot outline of the book I am writing, at the breakfast table I performed my next foolish act. I got a pecan lodged in my throat. It was far enough done I could breathe, but it certainly wasn’t going anywhere. A little goggling by my husband brought up the suggestion of sipping coke to help loosen the food and wash it down. Which makes sense, as coke is acidic. Therefore I spent the day sipping coke and tea and chicken broth… to no avail. Finally at the end of day, just before I decided enough is enough I am going to Urgent care, I swallowed a tiny piece of bread and after a moment of, well maybe it would all come up, the nut made its way into it’s anticipated destination, my stomach. It’s been a long time since I have felt such a level of relief and simple joy in being able to swallow I couldn’t stop smiling.

I wasn’t able to hit my goals for distance and pace for February, but on the first Friday of March I managed a five mile run/walk without getting a headache giving me the confidence of knowing I will be able to finish the 10k race I am running on March 18^th. It won’t be as fast as I want but I will go the distance. 

Now if only I can keep myself from doing silly things that interfere with my training I will meet my goal of running a marathon in the fall.

Safe

“Is she okay?” asked four year old Elizabeth

Her older brother didn’t respond.

“Is she okay?” Elizabeth reached out and touched his face with her finger.

“Elizabeth! Stop touching me! I’m sleeping.”

“Is she okay?” The little girl asked again.

“Is who okay?” David asked in exasperation.

“The fairy princess in the backyard. It snowed. Is she okay?”

He got out his bed, padded over to the window and looked out at a fairytale kingdom of white and crystal.

“Yes, I’m sure she’s safe. After breakfast we can go sledding and make sure.” He said with excitement in his voice.

Spring Day

The day was bright and warm. A perfect spring day with birds singing in the trees and the dogs following their noses into the woods searching for the sources of the scents they detected on the breeze. Harry strolled along, his walking stick making faint marks on the soil of the path he was following. He had left his coat behind in light of the warmth and the freedom of shedding the extra layers of clothing needed during the long winter months.

Two miles from home found him topping a rise and stepping out of the woodland. The view spread before him was breathtaking. On the horizon he noticed the building of dark clouds, advancing across the sky as he watched. There hadn’t been any forecast of foul weather. There hadn’t been any indication of a storm brewing, nothing to indicate a possible cause of concern. He whistled, calling the dogs to his side and turned back the way he came. It would be close, his getting back to the safety of his house before the storm over took him, but then he laughed. It had been years since he had been caught outside in a storm and he recalled the thrill of it, the joy of it, the challenge of it, and slowed his step. Today he would embrace the unforeseen change of weather and relish the transformation of the landscape as the rain brought forth new growth.

First Month of Training Done

First month of training done! At the beginning of January I wasn’t sure I would be able to meet my running goal for the month. The New Year found me traveling to Florida with my husband and mother-in-law fighting a head cold and over all fatigue. A couple of days of resting in the car, they did all the driving, and a couple of days soaking in the greenery and the ocean air restored me to the point where I was ready to come back to the frozen northland of home and kick it on the treadmill.

I returned to a household of sick grandchildren and within a day all the rest from my trip had vanished and I was headed down that slippery path of illness once again. The disruption to my running schedule left me wondering if I would be able to train enough to be ready for the 10k I had registered for in March. But with a lot of lounging around and avoiding everyone I thought may be harboring any kind of cold or illness and dosing myself with vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc supplements and herbal tea I preserved in regaining my health enough to get back on the treadmill and run.

A little extra effort and I finished the month meeting my running distance goal, which got me back on track with my training schedule.

Let’s see what challenges February throws at me. I am confident I will conquer them.

It Snowed Last Night

It snowed last night. This morning I bundled up and stepped outside. The air was fresh. The world around me was muffled. I strapped on my snowshoes and headed out into the snow-splashed woods. All around me the beauty of winter showed its best side. A splash of red marked the flight of a Cardinal. A loud chatter sounded from the branches above me as a gray squirrel greeted the day. I came to the big oak tree and stopped. I placed my hand on the rough bark and smiled. Sometimes life is this simple, serene and free from conflict.