Week 8

It was a good week overall.  Full but good things happening.

Sunday = I ran at the track in the afternoon and did a pyramid.  I did 1 x 200, 1 x  400, 1 x 800, 1 x 1200, 1 x 400, 1 x 200 with recovery laps in between.  It was a harder Sunday due to issues with the kids and feeling a little off emotionally and mentally. Running helped.

Monday = Veterans Day!  Nice day off.  I ran 4.5 miles in the afternoon

Tuesday =  Rest

Wednesday = Swam.  I did not keep track of my yards but I swam about 50 minutes.

Thursday = Group Ride.  It was a little better but still boring.

Friday = Ran 3 miles and did stretching at home

Saturday = Ran 10 miles.  It was harder than expected and I had to take some walk breaks on the hills.  I also started having mild IT band pain on some of the downhills.  It did not get paralyzing and I kept running at a normal pace.  It still hurts and I can feel it.  It is somewhat of my own fault because I have not been doing my PT consistently.  I am hoping but doing it consistently and doing some rolling and dynamic stretching before I run will help it.  I have not dealt with it in a very long time.

Weeks 6 & 7

I caught my motivation and have been working out regularly.  Sometimes I think that is the one thing keeping me grounded and sane.  I feel work is getting easier and a little more predictable.  There are still loads of challenges.  I am tired of taking classes.  It is painfully unmotivating taking a course after you already walked and went through the graduation process.  I have three more weeks but it feels like ten!  Rob was out of the country for a week and we actually did really well while he was gone.

 It was probably the first time we did as well as we did.  Then he was home for a few days and then left with Kara to St. Louis.  This is the second time in less than a year he has done going away for a long time, home for a few days, and then going away again.  The second transition back home always is harder.  I was off emotionally a good part of yesterday and feeling out of sorts.  I feel a little depleted.

Our dear friends might be moving away and we should know by next week.  If I had to guess, I would say we will be saying good-bye to them at the end of the school year.  However, we don't know for sure. I had a dream about that very thing last night and we walked about everyone will be crying at graduation.  The dream was so clear then I had to piece reality in my mind when I woke up and it took a few extra seconds.

 I know we will remain friends.  Hey friends are the friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them...ha ha.  We all learned that in 1987.  I know in their denomination they tend to move around a lot and we would have to let them go one day.  Honestly I had hoped selfishly we would be the ones to move first.  Or we would both move the same summer to the same place.  My reason being not because I want to move, but because I have a hard time letting go of people.

So that is where I am at right now...

For Week 6 which was the week Rob was gone I ran at the track on that Sunday (the 27th) in the afternoon.  I was going to run on Monday but I slept until 7 AM.  I woke up to Hailey asking, "Mom are you getting up?"  Mondays are still so hard for me.  On Tuesday I ran 4 miles.  I did go to swimming on Wednesday.  I even made it to Ride on Thursday and again was very bored.  Rob came home Halloween night.  I did weights and ran 3 miles on the treadmill after work on Friday.  Saturday I ran 9 miles and it was very beautiful out.

This past week I ran at the track on Sunday morning.  I again slept until 7 AM on Monday and forwent any plans to any sort of exercise.  On Tuesday I ran four miles and I think I was supposed to run 4.5...oh well.  On Wednesday I swam.  On Thursday I went to ride and had to leave early to bring Rob and Kara to the shuttle.  On Friday I ran an amazing six miles in the morning.  On Saturday I did weights and ran three miles though I think I was supposed to do four.

The training is going super well.  My pace is faster.  I need to keep up with my PT though and also make sure I am not oversleeping on the weekends.

Week 5

I kind of skipped Week #4.  I ran seven miles last week Sunday and it went super well.  I decided to rest on Monday.  Then Monday night I woke up at 1:30 PM constantly coughing and I could not sleep.  I had to take Derek to school by 6 AM so it was way too late to take cough medicine.  I ended up laying with my head elevated on the couch and I was able to eventually fall asleep and I woke up again at 5 AM.  Rob volunteered to bring Derek to school and I was able to sleep more until 7 AM.  My cough lingered all week but gradually got better all week.  Then I totally lost all motivation.  I worked over fifty hours last week with the training all Saturday plus I had small group, ETM, and Bible Study.  I know one day I will look back on this and ask--How did I do this?  I won't really have a good answer.

I did register for Holiday Half so I really need to get things in gear.  I am trying though I am still not as motivated I was two weeks ago.

Sunday = Ran 4 miles.  It felt really good to run again and my pace was around 9:30 which was awesome.  Wanted to run in the morning but it took me until 5 PM to get motivated to go.  Lame!

Monday = Rest.  I am still dealing with bad unmotivation.  I generally hate Mondays.  I hate them even more when I have a training on Saturdays because I felt like I lost a big chunk of my weekend!

Tuesday = Weights for 1/2 hour and 3.1 miles on treadmill

I did manage to get up and go to the gym.  Yes finally!  And I am glad I did because it was another hard day.  This job is super challenging and one of the hardest things I have ever done.  I can understand why it is high burn out.

Wednesday =  Spin bike at the gym for 40 minutes

I woke up at 3:30 AM with my mind racing and I could not calm down.  I woke up Rob at 5 AM and was crying that I was so anxious.  I was able to fall back asleep but I skipped swimming.  I was able to sleep until about 7 AM.  I went to the gym in the evening instead and rode the bike we ride in Spin class.  I was surprised I am SO MUCH faster when I am riding on my own versus Spin Class.  My issue with Spin is I tune out and get very bored.  That is why I have not been motivated to go.

Thursday = Track Run.  Ran 4 x 800 with recovery in between.  I dropped off Rob at the Salem airport and then I went right to the South Salem track.  There was no one there and it is super dark.  Part of me wonders if it is safe to be there, but I also know teachers do not start to come early.  I loved the solitude.  I even saw a shooting star.

Friday = Ran 3 miles downtown.  I ran 3 miles after work from Riverfront to Wallace Marine.  It was broad daylight but I actually feel less safe running at Wallace Marine than the South Salem track.  It is secluded by the ball fields, there are lots of homeless people, and just sketchy people walking around.  I think I will take pepper spray if I go again.

Saturday = Ran 8 miles

I did 5 miles with my friend in the morning and then I did the last 3 on my own.  I love getting up early on Saturday mornings because I feel like I am not wasting the day away.

Week #3

I did not sign up for the Holiday Half but I need to do very soon before the price increases. I completed all the workouts for Week #1 except the weekend workouts.  Then I went to Chicago and it took me a whole extra day to get there due to major thunderstorms in the Midwest.  I had to spend a night in Denver.  Traveling is absolutely exhausting.  Three of the four days I was gone I was flying.  I had a great time visiting family, but I came up exhausted and jumped right back into work.  By Thursday of last week I was physically and emotionally drained.  I had to leave my classroom for a half hour and get my emotions in order.  It was a little embarrassing, but my co-workers said I did what I supposed to do when I get overwhelmed.

This week was better, but my job is still very difficult. I still don't have an assistant.  I still learning how to be a teacher.  I am drowning in paperwork. Sometimes it is hard to shut my brain off and take a break from it.  I don't feel nearly as overwhelmed as I did.  Exercise is one thing keeping me balanced.  Here is what I accomplished this week.

Sunday = Ran 6 miles with T in the early morning and we went up lots of hills.

Monday = Ran 3 miles by myself in the morning.

Tuesday = Rest

Wednesday = Swam with T and did about 1350 yards

Thursday = Group Ride with T

Friday = Ran 5 miles with T in the morning

Saturdays = Ran intervals at the track 2 x 800 and 2 x 400 with recovery laps in between.  Also going to go the gym and lift weights in a little while.

Pre Training Week #4 of 4

The weekend tends to go by quickly and I cherish the time at home away from work.  Don't get me wrong--I am enjoying work so far.  I am overwhelmed what this week will bring with being the lead teacher in a new class.  12 of the children are boys.  7 are girls.  Three have special needs.  I don't have a regular assistant.  I barely have a family educator right now.  I am not complaining and doing the best I can do with the resources I have.  My theme this fall is "one step at a time."  I am trying not to dwell deeply into the future, but rather day by day.

Monday = Ran 5 miles

I ran with my friend and we ran mostly through my neighborhood. It was a hard early morning.  I woke up just before 5 AM and checked the cast list for Newsies.  I was disappointed to not see Hailey's name on the cast list.  I felt very sad.  Running helped me process through it and face the day.  It turned out to be a pretty good day and fun celebrating Hailey's birthday.

Tuesday = Rest

I had not slept very well Sunday night and I decided to take Tuesday off.

Wednesday = Swam about 1500 yards

I was a little slower and more tired.  I still made it there and did my best.  It turned out to be a long but really good day.

Thursday = Ran 3 miles

It was an emotional run again and I woke up and found out that my Grandma passed away.  I was once again processing emotions as I ran.

Friday = Rest

My plan was to do weights and run after work but that did not happen.  We still had a lot of work to do and I could not leave my co-workers with the extra work.  I think I will need to try and get my exercise in on Friday mornings and not be dependent on being able to do so after work.

Saturday = Ran 5 1/2 miles

I ran with my friend again and we did more hills.  It was a good way to start the day.  My plan was to go to the gym and do weights and ride the bike.  My sister called and I was on the phone for awhile.  I honestly did not feel up to going and doing more exercise than I already did.  I some stretching at home.

I am ending my week here and switching to having my weeks start on Sunday.  It's been a long time since I have done this but it makes sense since I am now following Hal Higdon's Half Marathon training...although I have not signed up for the half marathon yet.

Pre Training Week #3 of #4

I am grateful I have been able to establish this routine and have another week of exercise. I am a little nervous about when preschool starts up and that my stress level will escalate.  But my motto this fall has been, "One step at a time."

Monday =  Ran 5.35 miles with my friend.  Our average pace was around 9:40.  I really missed running with her!  We could not make it work last year with our schedules.

Tuesday = Ran 3.01 miles alone with an average pace of around 9:45.  Really hard to get up.  Manages to push myself out of bed.

Wednesday = Swam 1600 yards!  I was thrilled I increased my yardage and I felt much faster  compared to other times I have swam with my friends.

Thursday = Group Ride.  Super hard to get up.  I felt really spacey and out of it.  Even during the class I felt like I was not pushing myself and spacing out so much.  I felt like I didn't get as much out of the workout as I could of.  It took me a long time to feel awake.

Friday = Ran with 4.03 miles with my friend with an average pace of around 9:40.  We did some hills as well.  Felt more awake compared to Thursday.  I had a conference in Rickreall all day.  Thankfully we were done by 3:45.  I stopped at the gym before going home and did about a half hour of weights.

Saturday = Track Run.  4 x 400 with a recovery lap.  I can't remember the last time I ran at the South Salem High School track.  I really missed it and want to incorporate running laps here this fall and winter.  Not sure I can make it work during the week and worry about running by myself there in the dark.  Weekends seems to work pretty well.

Sunday = Rest!

Pre Training Week #2 of #4

Man, I miss the summer.  This first week is so hard.  The emotional stress is the hardest.  But we will get there.  I keep telling myself, "one step at a time."

Monday = Ran intervals at Wendy Kroger Park and stretching at the park.  I did one loop fast paced followed by a recovery lap four times.  I did a short warm up and short cool down.  Best Labor Day EVER at the fair.  So sad to see the summer go.

Tuesday = Ran 3 miles with a pace of around 9:30.  Annual first day of school run.

Wednesday = Swam 1500 yards with friends.

Thursday = Weights for about 25 minutes and 5K pacing run on the treadmill.  I still dislike the treadmill but it was not so bad.

Friday = Ran with a friend and her baby and dog (she's amazing!)  I went 4 miles and pace was slightly slower (considerably so).  It was a fun run.

Saturday = I wanted to do a ride with SBC but ended up deciding not to go.  The weather was not great and I probably would have been in rain part of the time.  I woke up feeling overwhelmed again and slightly anxious.  The kids felt that way too so it was probably a good thing I stayed home.  I ended up going to the gym in the early evening and riding the stationary bike for 35 minutes and then doing about 25 minutes of weights.  It was a great workout.  I have been consistently working out and cutting back on sugar and fatty foods.  I am a little surprised my weight stays stagnant.  I lost maybe a pound the past month.  Today I was back up again.  I am also really hormonal and I think my weight goes up when that happens.  I am going to continue to track it but I don't expect major results.  I have been this weight for the past 10 years--I don't see that changing much.  Except going up if I eat a lot of junk.

Sunday = Rest!

Pretraining Week #1 of 4

My exercise goal this summer was to ride Orange Mango more.  I successfully did.  I did five long rides with Salem Bicycle Club...possibly six if I can go on Saturday. I did three rides with Rob and one of those included the kids.  I did at least two (maybe three?) rides by myself to the gym or around the neighborhood.  I can officially clip in and out at intersections without a minor panic attack.  I can (most of the time) conquer a safe left hand turn.  I still can't go down hills at full speed.  I still ride the brakes way more than I should, but I did make progress.  I can successfully put air in all the tires of every single bike we own.  I can lube all the chains.  I have not had to change any flat this summer (finally the kids are not as hard on their bikes!) and I still do not have strong confidence in this.  I do know what to do and I could probably figure it out.  Biking to work does not sound as daunting.  I really love being on my bike which was my number one goal.

My running is improving.  I was running slow for the past few weeks due to a summer cold I caught from Hailey.  It lingered for so long and I am actually still feel remnants of it at times.  Although it might be fall allergies.  I swam at least once a week not counting hours of playing with the kids in the pool.  I wanted to do weights more than I actually did.  I tried to shoot for once a week but it was more like once every other week...and sometimes even less than that.  I don't really have a good excuse because there were weights at the pool gym I could have used...but didn't.  I played hockey more at the beginning of the summer, but I realized I don't really enjoy it.  I don't get the drive and excitement from it like everyone else.  I honestly would choose going for a run over playing hockey.

 My one regret is Rob and I did not play pickleball.  Our racket was broken at the beginning of the summer and it took until a few weeks ago to get a new one.  I suppose we could play this last week and maybe we should.  We could always go to one of the parks with courts this fall and play.  Sometimes I have a lot of anxiety about trying new things.  It takes me a long time to warm up to them and even enjoy them.  It took me YEARS to get comfortable on my road bike.

My next goal is to run the Holiday Half Marathon in Eugene.  I would like to be under two hours again.  I have not run it in several years.  Fall is my favorite time of the year to run and also when I am the most motivated.  I will build my mileage very slow because I don't want to suffer an overuse injury again.  I mapped out a whole training plan that will officially start September 2.  I am going to try to do short run on Monday, Spin on Tuesday, Swimming on Wednesday, regular run on Thursday, Intervals and maybe weights on Friday, and long run on Saturday or Sunday.  I might switch Tuesday and Thursday depending on my running friend's schedule.  This is a rough plan.  Things always change week to week.

Monday = Ran 3.19 miles with an average pace of 9:44.  Mile 2 was 9:16.  I am really working on pacing and being able to do negative splits.

Tuesday = Intervals = about 20 minutes...2 minute run, 2 minute walk 3-4 times with a warm up and cool down.  I really wanted to do intervals in the park because it works out really well.  The park is super close and the path is a little less than a track.  However, there was a weird guy circling the park at 6:30 AM on a bike with an unleashed dog.  If there would have been other people there, I would not have cared.  It was just him and me.  He really was simply circling--not on a workout or anything.  I did not trust him.  So I ran up and down our street doing 2 minutes fast and then walk/jog 2 minutes.  It worked OK.  I am going to need to figure out how and when to do intervals. The park is ideal but I can't do them in the dark.  That park is not safe enough.  I could do Sunnyslope Park or the treadmill at the Courthouse. I can also do the South Salem track which I might do occasionally.

Wednesday = Swam 1500 yards.  I did NOT want to get up this morning.  I was trying to talk myself out of not getting up.  Which is why I did not get to the pool until closer to 5:30 and I could do not do my friends workout with her.  I was impressed I got to the pool anyway because I had zero motivation!  It is going to take me a little bit to get back into early morning workouts.  I am pretty good at talking myself into not getting up.

Thursday = Ran 5 miles and hiked/creek walked 2.3 miles

Last night was pretty interesting.  Around 2:30 I woke up to go to the bathroom and saw lightning flashes.  A storm started to settle in and at one point thunder shook the whole house.  Rob and I were pretty much awake.  He put on the TV to help us fall back asleep.  It took a LONG time for me to fall asleep.  My body was relaxed but I could not fall asleep.  Once I did fall asleep I kept waking up repeatedly and not sleeping well.  So I slept in until 8:30.  I tried to talk myself out of running and I almost succeeded.  I really did not have any good excuse not to run.  So I did five miles and it was not easy.  My abs hurt almost the whole time since I started up ab workouts again.  I did not have much energy and I simply felt depleted.  I actually felt the best the final mile.  It used to take me a mile to warm and then two miles and now I feel like it's 3 1/2 to 4 before I am finally warmed up.

One thing on Derek's bucket list this summer was to follow Pringle Creek as far as we could from Judson Middle School.  I love his passion for exploration and it was something he was excited about.  I was a little worried about the water...what kinds of bacteria are growing in the creek?  I was also concerned about blackberry bushes, poison oak, and people thinking we are super strange.  Surprisingly it was clear almost the whole way and easy to walk through.  Derek's flip flops kept breaking and I wish he would have worn shoes like I did.  I was not crazy about him going barefoot...there could have been glass on the bottom of the creek.

Once we passed the final bridge and crossed under a fence out of Woodmansee Park, we were basically in people's backyards.  I was a little familiar with where we were because I went running there years ago and got tangled in a bunch of blackberry bushes.  We almost got out at someone's backyard bridge, but then Derek said he could see Idylwood Street and I knew there was a bridge there.  I told Derek to be quiet because I heard dogs and we were basically in someone's yard....although the creek is city property, right?  Anyway a guy saw us and said, "What are you doing in the creek?"  I said, "We're just going for a creek walk."  He said, "People don't want you back there.  I have guard dogs."  I kindly said, "We're really sorry.  We're getting out right now."  We exited right out and he walked away.  I can understand his concern because we did see items homeless people probably left behind.  It is a really easy place to hide.

Derek was so excited we could do it today.  I have a few scratches from blackberry bushes.  Hopefully neither one of us gets poison oak.  It was very cool to see a part of our neighborhood we have never seen before...and it's only a mile from our house.

Friday - Biked approximately 20 miles and a half hour of weights

Rob took the kids to Portland all day.  My plan to was to bike to where I will be working this year in West Salem and see how long it takes me.  I was going to try to take back roads whenever possible and avoid some of the busier roads.  Then I was going to take the bike paths through the three parks.  I was not prepared for all the HILLS.  There were SO many.  It was a pretty intense workout at times.  I was able to get up all the hills and even stand up on the bike (something I really struggled to do on Orange Mango but can do it on the bikes at the gym).  I could bike in clips the whole time.  I had no problems with the traffic but I did get off the bike and do crosswalks on some of the busier roads.  I only had one close call with pedestrians blocking the path.  That was in Riverfront Park.  I could not get through and I had to yell, "On your left!" twice.  I felt bad because it was a special needs gentlemen.

I got home and decided to go do weights at the gym because I wasn't sure when else I was going to do them.  I didn't really want to do them tomorrow.  Then I was SO hungry.  All I had eaten all day was a big bagel with cream cheese and gu gel.  I went to Panera Bread and a pretty hefty lunch including a half off cookie and I drank Mountain Dew.  I have not had it awhile.  Then I felt depleted and border line sick.  I felt better after I drank water and laid around.  I took a 45 minute nap.  I feel better now.  But man, I pushed myself hard today.

Saturday - Ran 3.43 miles with an average pace of around 9:30

Sunday = Rest!

Back to work

I got called into work today for the first time all summer.  It was nice to work for a couple of hours.  I ran in the afternoon and it was little warmer than I thought.  I am still not running great and feel really slow.  I also have been running once or twice a week so I have not been consistent.

I ran 4.02 miles with an average pace of 9:48 and I stuck around our neighborhood and ran through Woodmansee Park on the trails.

Today I am thankful for being able to work in the classroom and regain my confidence with preschoolers.  I am thankful for seeing all my three of my children play in the hose in the backyard.  I am thankful my husband has been doing most of the cooking this week.

Back at it

It has been a great summer.  The time off work is truly a gift I will not take for granted.  I am grateful I do not need to work in the summer.  I agreed to sub twice a week, but my help has not been needed.  The joke is Hailey has gotten more calls for babysitting and made more money than me.  I have found more than enough to do and I savor these beautiful warm days.

I also have exercised on a regular basis.  I took most of last week off due to feeling overwhelmed and my moods were off.  I am ready to start up again this week.  Travel always disrupts the schedule.  I did manage to do one bike ride and two runs while in Michigan which is more than I have done on vacation in the past.

Today I swam 1800 yards which is one full mile in the outdoor pool at STSC.  It took me about an hour.  I love swimming laps outside in the summer.

Today I am thankful for a clear blue sky, playing in the pool with Kara and Rob, and getting some church work and course work done in a timely manner this morning.

One of my current goals is to lose five pounds and run the Holiday Half Marathon in Eugene in December.

No Consistency Whatsoever

This spring has been the most "yo-yo" session of exercise that I have ever had in a long time.  It has been quite frustrating to say the least.  At the same time, I am trying not to be too hard on myself.  I worked an early shift this year that made early morning exercise more challenging.  It is hard to get a workout in when you have to end it at 5:45 AM.  Who wants to get up at 4:30 AM and be ready to go to bed at night before your three children?  Not me.  Add finishing up an early child education program in there.  Not to mention children's activities times three.

We also dealt with some unexpected  challenges that shook up our world a bit.  You can never plan for these.  They happen and you have to put things on hold.  Sometimes the emotional exhaustion that comes from them halts your normal routine for a bit.

I really like the beginning of June because I can often breathe again.  Summer is like a fresh clean slate.  My schedule is slower.  I do not feel as much pressure.

If I am craving one thing, it would be CONSISTENCY.  I want to exercise regularly again and eat healthy...though I have not been eating as terrible as I was back in March when I gained six pounds.  I need to get some goals for myself...attainable goals.

I would like to do an Olympic distance triathlon.  My running is right where it should be as is my swimming.  My biking is not.  I would need to get on my bike more and go for longer rides.  Of the three biking is my weakest and causes me the most anxiety.

I would also like to eat healthier this summer and I probably need to count calories again.  Because my weight is back up to five pounds more than I would like it.  I am craving junk again.

So here is what I did this week on this last week of work and school...

Monday = Rest

Tuesday = 2.5 mile run which was miserable and painful.  I did not feel strong as all and I felt like I had not been running in a long time.  I have been running.  Again no consistency whatsoever.

Wednesday = Swam with my friends.  I did not keep track of my yards but I swam for 45 minutes

Thursday = Early morning group ride with my friends

Friday = Swam alone.  1200 yards.

10 days of good...one day of bad.

I was hoping to update this blog more frequently but it has been 10 days since I have done so.  10 days that for myself that included working, forensic coaching, track, theatre show, studying, Book Club, Bible Study, youth group, and a huge Taco Dinner I was in charge of. Oh and the computer crashed in there as well making getting some work done quite challenging.  SO much going on.  But until today I did not miss a single workout.  Until today I cut back SIGNIFICANTLY on sugar and soda.  I lost two pounds.  I was feeling generally positive with zero anxiety.  That's right...until today.  Today was just plain hard.  Everything I sought out to do including going to spin class at the gym this morning did not seem to happen. I spent most of the day in constant sometimes near tears anxiety ridden state.  I ended the day much more positively than I started it.  I still hate days like this.  It feels like a completely wasted Saturday and normally I love Saturdays.  But tomorrow is a new day.  This week is not as crazy as last week and not nearly as crazy as the week before.  So let's simply press on again.

Busy Mom Diaries: 400 Meter Dash

One commitment I took on this month that I probably do not have time for...but had to seize the opportunity...was helping with track at my children's school.  I work an earlier shift this year making it possible to help with after school activities.  Last year this was not the case and it was even harder when I did in home daycare.

I am not a coach and I have zero coaching experience.  I am not much an athlete either...at least I was not one when I was younger. I did not appreciate running, competing, training etc. until I was much older.  I love to work with middle schoolers.  I love running.  It seemed like the perfect combination.  And it has been. Especially because I am not in charge and I can simply help wherever needed.

My son ran his first 400 meter dash.  This was my race in junior high.  It is a very difficult one for kids.  It is in between a sprint and a distance.  It is difficult to sprint the whole thing, but at the same time there is not much time to build.  It was difficult to prepare him for the race because running the 400 on a track is much different than running in practice...or running with me.  You have to face it and do it.  When he finished he was a little overwhelmed and hoped to run better, but I was proud of him for pushing himself hard to the finish line.  I said it was first time so he had no time to beat!

I feel that way with many things in life.  I want to prepare for things, but there are many things I cannot fully prepare for.  There comes a time that you have to face what is before you and simply push yourself forward.  Yes sometimes that means feeling a little overwhelmed.  What is God teaching you through this? What can we learn from it and how did it make us grow as Christians?

My son and I will be practicing at the track this weekend.  I need to work on my 400 intervals too!

For my workout today I swan 1200 yards with my tri friends at the pool in the early morning hours.  I am glad I started my day this way! I am still keeping my food diary too.

Busy Mom Diaries: You Have a Fat Stomach

Have you ever had a preschooler say to you, "Is there a baby in your belly?"  When clearly your baby is now six years old and your womb has not been occupied since.  Or have you ever had to answer the preschooler's question, "Why are all the teachers at this school fat?"  Or a simple statement I was given today by an innocent four year old--"You have a fat stomach."

Little children do not know that makes us moms self conscious.  They do not even know what it means to feel self conscious.  Yet we cannot help but wonder if the rest of the world sees us the way they do.

Aside from after my youngest was born, I have not been overweight.  I went on Weight Watchers which was an education I never had on how to eat healthy.  I also trained for another marathon.  I lost the weight over a few months.

Like other members in my family, all the weight I gain goes right to my stomach.  For some it is their thighs, their butt, their lower legs etc.  I get a little a bit of a gut. I can look a few months pregnant in certain outfits even though clearly I am not.  I have not dealt with many body image issues, but this is one I will be brutally honest about.  I don't like it very much.

Yes, I need to accept myself and the way God created my body.  I need to refrain from complaining about my body especially in front of people who generally struggle more with their weight.  But I have gained six pounds in the last few weeks.  I am also craving Chips Ahoy and Oreos.  I would like to have potato chips as a side dish.  I love ice cream in the evening.  I don't drink pop very much but I love a ice cold Coca Cola. And I don't want to keep going down that road.  It is much easier to keep going if I just say, "It's not a big deal.  Accept my body the way it is."  What if I keep sliding down this slippery slope of unhealthiness? These type of foods don't help me run better, don't give me long term energy, and the cravings increase.  Then what?

So yes I am striving to keep track of what I eat and striving to live healthier this month.  I had a great run this afternoon of 3.01 miles with an average pace of around 9:40 minute miles.  I will take it.

Busy Mom Diaries: Wellness

Today is the Monday after Spring Break which I have heard referred to as BS Monday.  When I awoke this morning thoughts of--"Maybe I should go back to being a stay at home mom.  There is enough at home to keep me busy" or "Maybe I should work part time" or "Why do the school breaks seem so short!?"  Kind of ironic it is April Fools Day too.

Today is also Wellness Day which is an annual event put on by the company I work for.  I tried to keep it in mind that I should have a good attitude about BS Monday Wellness Day.

Wellness means different things to different people.  The definition of wellness is the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.  When I first heard about "Wellness Day" I pictured it as the wellness program my husband and I went on two years ago with some friends.  We had to change our meals and snacks to healthier options, exercise at least five time a week, practice good sleep habits, and check in with a coach.  I only lost one pound.  But I was able to completely give up soda during the five weeks and I have decreased my consumption since then.   That was probably the best thing I gained.

Wellness Day in our workplace means doing activities together to promote more self care and community. These create "good health" in our workplace. For some that means shopping, going to a movie, doing arts and crafts, and going out for lunch.  I would prefer a long bike ride, going for a hike or even a long run on Wellness Day.  I have not had co-workers interested in this.  So what I gain is fellowship outside of our normal day to day workday.  That strengthens our team and builds positive relationships.

I ended Wellness Day by helping out at my kid's school with the track team.  Running along the trails at our local park with them was more "wellness" for me and fun too.  I love seeing kids try running and push themselves even if they may not turn into runners.

I hope for this month I can continue to practice acts of wellness.  I am starting by choosing healthier meals. Having breakfast this morning with co-workers at an All You Can Eat buffet did not set the stage for healthy eating.  But I was able to keep my portions under control.  I am opting for a salad tonight instead of pizza.

As for exercise, this is my official rest day.  I did do some walking with my co-workers and running with the track team.  I am counting it an "unofficial workout."

Busy Mom Diaries: Calendars

My April Calendar

I used to frown upon Moms who flashed their family calendars on Facebook.

So I realize I am being a total hypocrite by flashing my schedule on the Internet. I want to make the point that I love calendars like many other moms out there.  I love the beginning of the month when I can use my new chalk board marker and add everything we are doing that given month. Sometimes it is hard for me to wait until the end of the month. 

I love schedules...activity schedules, exercise schedules, work schedules, daily schedules, church schedules.  I get anxious when myself or someone from my family is involved in some kind of activity and there is no schedule.  

I love lists..."to do lists" mostly.  I always have a written list.  I tried apps which give me a list on my ipad or phone.  I don't like them and I always go back to the simple pen and paper list.  I like to cross things off when they are completed.

There are many times in my life when I feel like I am not in control of my schedule.  My schedule is controlling me.  The constant demands awake me in the morning and I feel stress at the pit of my stomach.    

I think  in these moments God reminds us how much we need to rely on Him every single day.  We may think we have control of our schedules, but we are not in control of our lives.  Anything can happen to shake up our lives on any given day.  Clean slate summers have turned into times of intense struggle.  New fall excitement has turned into anxiety ridden months.  Days off to relax have turned into days of "putting out fires."  Sometimes weekends turn into days more exhausting than the weekdays.  

I remind myself often, "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."  Rejoice always.  Rejoice in everything.  Rejoice in every single season.

As for exercise...we started this new tradition of going to a local park on Sunday afternoons on our bikes or skateboards.  Sometimes it is simply a short ride to the park a stone's throw from our house.  It still gets us outside and gets me back on my bike.  Today we even tossed the Frisbee around.

Look I match Orange Mango!

Then I managed to get to the gym and I swam 900 yards.  I stepped on the scale and I am not going to put my weight on the world wide web.  I will say I am six pounds over what I call "my standard weight."  I am not surprised.  I did not exercise at all last week and I have been eating more sugar again. I felt a little heavier in my stomach.  I think I can get it back down again. 

Busy Mom Diaries: April Eve

A few years ago I made a check list of everything I wanted to accomplish each day: do a load of laundry, do one household cleaning task, read my Bible, exercise, read a chapter of a book for pleasure, practice 15 minutes of guitar and pray for my family. I could rarely hit all of them. While I love to plan and deep down I crave routine, I hate discipline. 

I often find myself surfing Facebook instead of loading the dishwasher. I will google search something useless instead of switching the laundry. Some people think I am a disciplined runner but there are many many mornings I ignore the alarm and choose to sleep later than I realistically need to. 


I don't like being told what to do. Sometimes I feel like there is this 
adolescent trapped inside of me who wants to eat what she wants, do what she wants when she wants to, spend money on whatever she wants, and this makes life way more fun. I am constantly telling her to grow up but yet she is asking me to hang out all the time.

It reminds me of Paul's verses in Romans 7...these are the verses with the "I do's" and "I do not's" in regards to his struggle with sin.  You have to read through it carefully word for word in order to digest what he is saying about his struggle with sin.  

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

(Romans 7:19-20)

I am not lazy.  I work a 40 hour week job in the school year and I daresay I work pretty hard.  I am involved in church and my children's school.  I spend time with my family.  

I am not trying to live up to some "perfect mom" standard either.  I don't set unrealistic goals and beat myself up when I fail to attain them. I stay away from self help books and I am leery of some women's ministry events if they push "a works religion mindset."  Like Paul I will never fully be able to carry it out and I will keep on doing evil because sin is living in me.

Paul goes on to say:

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with my mind, I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

(Romans 7:24-25)

I know we are on the eve of the month of April.  It is a hard month for me...at least it has been the last two years.  It is the end of the school year but there are still many days of school with no breaks (except for Memorial Day but by that point we're almost done).  We are not a huge sports family but we have at least two children in spring sports and one in spring theatre.  There always seems to be extra events tied to Easter, graduations, and school.  There are always big school projects due. There always seems to be extra stress that comes out of nowhere...the last  two years it was tied to my work environment.  Sometimes it is church or family or something else. I always think it will come to a screeching halt once May hits.  However, May always seems to be a continuation of April.

I struggle with anxiety anyway.  Sometimes things are magnified and exaggerated in my own mind.  It can cause me to have extreme emotions.  Or else I go to my default mode of surfing social media or sleeping.  Honestly sometimes I wake up in the morning hit hard with fear because I am scared to face the day and what it entails.  I can usually breathe a sigh of relief and sometimes even feel peace at the end of it.  Sometimes I wake up the next morning and the whole cycle generates itself again.  

I am not making an unrealistic goal of having myself put together the whole month of April with zero moments of overwhelm.  I am not saying I am going to handle everything the way it should be handled. I know I will sometimes do what I don't want to do, but I will do it anyway.  There has to be more than coasting through life with a busy schedule trying to keep from getting overwhelmed for the sake of not falling apart.  

So I look to Romans 5 where Paul talks about what sufferings produce...

...but we also rejoice in our sufferings; because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

I want to grow in character and be an adult. We use the term "adulting" more frequently now.  As adults we have to do things that are unpleasant or boring or tiring or cause anxiety.  Adults clean their houses.  Adults balance their checkbooks.  Adults watch what they eat.  Adults take care of their bodies.  Adults go to bed on time.  Sometimes I admit I don't want to be an adult and I am more prone to be that irresponsible adolescent.

I want to come out of April with a strength of character and a hope that does not disappoint.  Because I know my strength comes from God's love that He poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

And since this is my exercise blog...I will continue to record my workouts here and elaborate more on my running/triathlon goals

Today I biked 8.67 miles on Orange Mango (to the gym and back) which was a success in and of itself.  I still have too much unnecessary anxiety about riding my bike.  Once I start riding, I really do love it.  At the gym I did about a half hour of weights and strength training.

When 2 weeks becomes 4!

I was feeling significantly better Sunday morning but started to feel weak and tired on Sunday afternoon.  I managed to take a nap and that helped significantly.  I still had a decreased appetite and low energy level.  On Monday I woke up and felt well enough to go to work.  My appetite was increasing and I thought I was getting back to normal.  Around 3:00 PM it was like my intestines declared war on the rest of my body.  I started getting stomach pains again and a mild version of what started this whole sickness well over a week ago.  I felt that way the rest of the night.  I went to bed at 10:00 PM and fell asleep right away.  I only slept a half hour and woke up with more stomach pain.  I went to the bathroom and tried sleeping in a different position.  Thankfully I fell asleep.  But I was frustrated and anxious about why I have been so sick.  I woke up feeling good but not great.  Now I am starting to feel somewhat normal and crossing my fingers it was upward spiral from here.  I still have not exercised since Arizona and I am craving the gym and running again.  I am hoping for next week!  I need to get this virus or bacterial infection or whatever it is out of my body!

Ugh sickness stinks

I am really glad I did not try to exercise this week because I would be setting myself up for failure.  On Thursday I woke up feeling crummy.  I felt nauseous in the shower.  I chalked it up to PMS and knew it would improve as the day went on.  I tried not to think about the fact I had to work a 12 hour day.  It did not get better.  It got worse as the day went on.  Around 4:00 PM I started to get up and walk around, set up chair etc.  I thought that would help after sitting at the computer for two hours.  I felt way worse.  By that time I was getting chills.  I went home early.  I got in the house a little after 5 and went right to bed. The chills got worse and my stomach started to hurt.  I threw up once.  I thought it was another quick bug because I slept all night.  I did not get up in the night at all.  I woke at 6:30 AM and felt weak.

I decided to move to the family room and watch a movie after the kids left for school. Then I felt awful to the point I was crying.  I felt so weak and miserable.  I tried to drink Gatorade but I could not keep it down.  Rob had me try Pepto Bismal but I could not keep it down either.  I literally sat on the bathroom floor crying.  By 10:30 AM I felt like my body was crashing and I went back to bed.  Rob put a warm wash cloth on my head.  I slept until 3:30 PM.  I remember the TV shows changing and Rob coming in at times.  I honestly don't remember much else. It felt like I only slept 2 hours, but Rob said I was out for 6. I felt significantly better when I woke up--just weak.  By the evening I could keep down saltines and Gatorade.

I am better today.  I am thankful we don't have to go anywhere or be anywhere.  If today was a workday, I still don't think I could go in.  I am ready to be healthy today.  The last two weeks have been incredibly frustrating.  I feel like I am working in a sea of germs because everyone is getting really sick.  I am hoping I don't break out in hives again, but honestly I won't be shocked if I do.

Post Marathon Week

I am two weeks post marathon and I was going to start exercising this week.  Mondays are a good day for me to take off despite this silly Facebook campaign going around that says, "Don't skip the Monday workout."  Maybe I am a rebel by nature so I intentionally skip the Monday workout.  In all seriousness, it helps me to get to work earlier on Mondays and get ready for the week.  If I have the pressure to get a workout in as well, it makes it a little more stressful than it needs to be.  This morning (Tuesday) I woke up ready to hit the gym and go to Group Ride.  I went into the kitchen and was very surprised to see snow all over the ground.  Especially since there was only a thirty percent chance last night.  I checked the school closings and Salem/Keizer was not closed.  I figured I should still go to the gym.  I refreshed the screen at 5 AM Salem/Keizer popped up as closed.  I tried to go back to bed, but I was already up.  I thought I would go to the gym later.  I enjoyed being at home today plus I had a head ache.  I still don't feel completely over this cold/stomach sickness I had last week and on Sunday night.  I decided I will take one more week off.  I feel like I am not ready to get back into the grind again.  My body does not feel quite ready for it either.  I think I will ready go next week.

Race Report: Phoenix Rock and Roll Marathon!

I have completed Marathon number five! On Sunday, January 20th I finished the Rock and Roll Marathon that began in Phoenix, went through Scottsdale, and ended in Tempe. My time was 3:13:56.

Every marathon has a story. Some might be more inspirational and exciting than others. I know the vast majority of the people in my life do not like to run and may not understand running. That is OK. I don't really get football. I played basketball in fifth grade and hated it. I will probably never play golf beyond the 18 hole Putt Putt course. We all have our own passions and that is the way it should be!

Why Arizona? Well I have this annoying adventurous issue that if I am going to run another marathon, then it has to be a new state. This was never my original plan. I ran Portland in 2006. That race kicked my butt.  I crossed the finish line ticked off while everyone around me was cheering. I did not think about running another one for four years...I also had two babies in there so that is a halfway decent excuse. In 2010 my plan was to run Portland again and redeem myself for getting my butt kicked. I missed the registration cut off so I went to Sacramento instead for the California International Marathon. In 2012 it was more about timing. I wanted to do a spring marathon, and there were none in Oregon that worked with my schedule. So Seattle Rock and Roll it was. So in 2015 when my sister said she wanted to run one with me, I said Oregon, Washington, and California were out. So we ran in Minnesota.  Picking a new state this time around was easy.  It had to be Arizona.

I fell in love with the desert landscape in 1994 when I went on a mission trip to the Baja Peninsula in Mexico.  We drove...yes all 52 hours...from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Ensenada. I could not get enough of the cacti, rocks, desert vegetation and the mountains when we drove across Arizona. I grew up in Indiana where the land is flat and the vegetation of choice is corn. I moved to Michigan which is a  little more scenic but there are no mountains, no cacti, no red rocks. Since then I have been to Arizona a few other times and appreciate the different places I have explored.

Rob and I went on a marriage retreat to Prescott eighteen months ago.  I fell in love with this mountainous town.  My dear friends run their ministry to pastors and pastor wives out of their home.  Staying at their retreat suite and visiting with them sounded perfect after conquering 26.2 miles. Time in both Phoenix and Prescott would be the best of both worlds.  If I had extra time I would have also visited friends in Tucson but I only had three full days.  Maybe someday I can do a road trip from the Grand Canyon to the Mexican border.

Why did I wait 3 1/2 years to run another marathon? Well it was not due to pregnancy nor will I say I was too busy. It was this annoying tendon called an IT band that connects your knee to your hip. Runners with IT band syndrome feel pain a few miles into their run on the lateral side of the knee. The only reason I knew about it was because my sister had it right before our marathon. We share the same genetic make up so it is only natural we would share sports injuries too.

I did what Runners World and random people on Facebook told me to: foam rolling, rest, heat. Whenever I would start upping my mileage and would hit 9 miles, the pain returned. This went on for two and a half years. I dabbled back into triathlon a bit. I questioned whether my over 40 body could run beyond 9 miles. I asked my doctor if I was too old to run a marathon. I was seeing him for something unrelated. He said my age should not matter and it should be a PT who determines if my body can run that distance. He gave me a referral to a PT.

A year ago I saw a PT for the first time in my life. The PT told me that yes my IT band was giving out once I hit 9 miles. While the foam rolling alleviated the pain, it was not solving the problem. It was due to weak gluteal muscles. Strengthen the glutes, very slowly add miles over a few months, and go train for that marathon. I was skeptical. Skeptical but hopeful. I loved the time her assistant was working with me and said, "So you feel pain when you hit 9 miles?" I said, "Yes every time." He said, "Isn't nine miles enough?"  I said, "No it's not." To which he did not know how to respond.  See not everyone gets running.

Last May I had considered training for a triathlon. Typically I am motivated in May. I put together a training plan, dust off my bike, and work on my swimming.  Then I lose momentum in August.  This time I lost it in June. So I considered a winter marathon instead because I could start training in the late summer. This is exactly what I did with California International. I loved running in the fall and escaping to warmer climate in the winter.

I had no idea the day I marked on the calendar as my first training run would be a day that altered the course of our late summer and early fall. We traveled a lot in June and July. I looked forward to August being a slower month of sitting by the pool and enjoying the last weeks of summer.  Instead God led us into a very challenging time period. Sifting through the issues was more trying and longer than the initial crisis itself. I actually looked forward to going back to work because I was sick of being at home trapped in my own negative thoughts. My go to mode was losing myself in social media or sitting in a chair in the backyard.  I knew I had to do something. Keep running. Honestly there were days I felt like it was the only thing I could accomplish.

I increased my mileage.  On those long runs, it was anger the propelled me up those hills.  Sometimes I would cry in sorrow while I ran.  I tried to do so in quieter neighborhoods where people were not present.  Who is this crazy lady crying while she is running nine minute miles?  Who is she running from? I prayed for the people struggling through this crisis. I prayed for others God put on my heart.  When I surpassed the nine mile mark again and again, I thanked the Lord that I had no pain in my IT band.

I signed up for the marathon in late September.  The very next day I injured my ankle.  After surfing through Web MD and various other websites (which are not good for me to do because I am a little bit of a hypochondriac) I thought I either had shin splints in one ankle or an overuse injury.  I am fortunate my triathlon friends are PTs, and one of them said it sounded like an overuse injury.  She said I could still probably run.  She said to reduce my mileage and ice it afterwards.  I followed her advice.  It was good for two weeks until it started to hurt more.  When I went to pumpkin patch with my family and to the mall afterwards, it was throbbing to the point I wished we parked in a handicap spot.  I dreaded walking back to the van.  I tried to run the next day, but I felt like I had peg legs and my form was terrible.  Who is that crazy lady who is running sideways?

I took a week off and cross trained.  Swim and biking only.  I would try running again and I would make a decision as to whether I could do the whole marathon or I would need settle for the half or maybe even the 10K.  After a week off, the ankle pain nearly went away.  It never came back.  Sometimes very slightly, but nothing to the degree it was in October.  Again I thanked the Lord for giving me a second chance. I never realized how much this marathon training would be a spiritual experience for me.

 I intentionally did my long runs close to home sometimes winding up and down streets.  My fear was my ankle giving out and having to call Rob to come rescue me from the other side of town. When I completed my 20 mile run on Christmas morning, I knew I was marathon bound.

The struggles we went through at the end of the summer subsided.  I felt like we were beginning to live a somewhat normal life again.  I needed my marathon to be the place where I would leave it all at the finish line and move forward into 2019 with newness and peace.  The weeks leading up to it I had all kinds of fears--some rational and some irrational.  What if I get lost in Phoenix?  Can I really navigate a city without Rob? What if my airbnb is in a scary neighborhood and I get mugged? What if my flight gets cancelled?  What if I forget my running shoes? What if I get sick?  What if I get food poisoning the night before the race?

I got a flu shot a week and two days before the race (even though I know it takes two weeks for the immunity to kick in).  Rob got one too. I got a cold soon afterwards as did Rob.  I told him we got colds from the flu shots but he did not think that was the cause.  Maybe he's had too much of my hypochondriac ways over the years.  Anyway, strangely I was happy I got a cold on that Friday because I knew it would be better by the time I ran.  I also knew if I was sick with a cold, I more than likely would not get sick with anything else.  Which does not make a lot of sense, but it helped me not worry about other sicknesses.

I arrived in Phoenix Friday night (the 18th) and I navigated my way from the airport, to the light rail, and to my airbnb which was a quaint little place in the cultural district.  I became familiar with the area and explored Phoenix and Tempe on Saturday.  I walked to a bagel restaurant, visited the expo, and took the light rail to Tempe where I rented a kayak for an hour.  The nice thing about traveling by yourself is you get to do the things you want to do. Like kayaking! You don't have to compromise, argue your reasoning, or settle for less.  There is no way my family would have lunch at a vegan restaurant in downtown Tempe.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

By Saturday night the nerves were starting to hit.  What if I get food poisoning from the lasagna I ate at the local restaurant for supper?  I did fall asleep and thankfully I slept pretty decent...unlike my first marathon.  I slept in a hotel room with four other people--one being an infant--and slept maybe two hours.  Every single time it is that crazy feeling when you wake up: I am running a freaking marathon today!

I made it to the starting line with much time to spare.  It was cold and I was not ready to shed my sweats at that point.  The scene is similar to every marathon.  People stretching, eating bananas, chatting about previous races they have run, and a never ending wall of port-a-potties. I lined up with the four hour pacing group.  I wanted to try and break four hours.  My PR is 4:04 from 2015.  Because I did not get in as many long runs as I would have liked (especially when my ankle was injured), I was not sure if I would be able to pull it off.  I still wanted to try.

I have run with a pacing group most marathons at least three quarters of the race.  This was the quietest pacing group I have ever run with.  They were focused and determined.  Our pacing leader was not the most encouraging one I have run with...a more "tell it like it is" kind of guy.  He kept saying, "We have a long ways to go" or "I hope you don't get too hot because there is no shade."  I was able to keep up with them the first half of the race without any issues.  By Mile #13 I was starting to feel it.  I was determined but I began to think that realistically I was not going to be able to maintain this pace. As we were coming out of Phoenix and made our way into Scottsale, the pacing team was getting further and further.  I loved running through Scottsdale because there was much crowd support.  Old Town was a fun little area to run through.  But I will also remember it as the pace I lost my pacing group.

With the group far ahead, there was less pressure.  Now I can run my own pace.  The heat was starting to get to me.  It was probably only in the 70's but it felt like the 90's.  I also missed a nutrition aid station along the way and did not get my energy boost gel.  I got one at Mile #6 but did not get another one until Mile #19.  I honestly don't know if that would have changed anything, but I was craving another one a few miles before #19.

Around Mile #20 I was thinking, "Why do I run these races?  I want to be done!"  There was this fun cheering section who were yelling our names (our names are on our bibs) and going all out to encourage us. A man with a giant golden retriever reached out to high five me.  I said, "Sir is it OK if I pet your dog?"  He said, "Of course."  Which was a little therapeutic.

Around Mile #23 I met some dental students who were struggling like I was.  We kept saying, "It's only three miles!"  I said, "My children can run 3 miles!  It's not that far but it is."  We pushed one another.  I was so thrilled to see Lake Tempe...not so thrilled to run up the bridge at Mile #24 over the lake...but the finish line was so close!

When I crossed it, I cried.  Marathon emotions are weird.  When I crossed the finish line in my first marathon I was ticked off.  With my second I laughed in amazement.  With my third I was confused because I thought my family was going to be at Mile #24 and I did not know how I missed them (turned out they were at the finish line and I missed them there too).  The last two marathons it has been tears.  It was symbolic for me to leave the pain from the previous months at the finish line and push forward into peace and a new season.

After the race I had to walk to the light rail station in Tempe, walk 3/4 miles to my airbnb, walk 3/4 miles back to the station,  get on the light rail to the airport, and get on a shuttle bus to Prescott.  It sounds exhausting after having run 26.2 miles, but actually it wasn't.  I felt like I could not go from running for 4 hours, 13 minutes and 56 seconds to being stationary.  I had to walk and it felt good on my legs.  My appetite was all out of whack.  I was not hungry but I felt depleted.  I felt significantly better after I ate dinner at the airport even though I did not have much of an appetite.

I got on a shuttle bus to Prescott and dozed and replayed portions of the day in my mind.  When I walked  hobbled my way out of the shuttle I was thrilled to see my friends pull up their car. I was honored to share with them my day and how amazing of an experience it was.  I could not wait to sit in their hot tub!

I spent my time in Prescott reading, journaling, watching TV, sitting in the hot tub, and having some good conversations with my friends.  I was able to take a reflective hike around Goldwater lake.  Which helped loosen up my stiff muscles.  I cannot imagine a better way to end my time in Arizona.  I hate to call things perfect because nothing in this world is perfect, but this was pretty close to it.

Some have asked me what is next?  Another marathon? Triathlon?  Ironman...um probably not.  I don't know right now.  All I do know is I am taking a few weeks off so I can get caught up on my early childhood education classes and other projects...and have a little more time for leisure on the weekends.  Those long runs take up a lot of time.  After that I might swim and bike a little more with some light running.  I want to do an obstacle course 5K with my son this spring and maybe a 5K with my younger daughter.  If I do run another marathon, I think my state of choice would have to be somewhere in the Midwest such as Michigan, Indiana or Illinois.  I am thankful to God for giving me this opportunity to cross another finish line in another state.