Reliving my Life from Present to Past

I am reliving my life from present to past. This means I am going backwards and spending four days reflecting on each year of my life. I go through old journals, my Google calendar, read old blog posts, look at pictures. It is going to take me a long time. I started in November and I should finish around May 2021. I am not a particularly nostalgic person. I like to think about the present and the future mostly so this is a stretch for me. 

It is an interesting exercise, however, a gift that allows you to reconsider your own personal best of's and worst fails for each year and decide how you want to see them from now on.  Each year that I go back, I feel younger, more alive, and I can see so clearly how the past plays into the present. I feel so thankful for the lessons I keep learning. 

I had been looking forward to 2009 from the very beginning. It was the year I ran my first marathon, and I did it with Laura. It was a kind of reunion 18 years after spending an academic year in Liege, Belgium in 1990-1991. We did our training on this very blog. She lives in LeRoy, New York and I live in Trieste, Italy, so it was the perfect solution. We picked up friends along the way who ran with us. It was truly a magical time.  

Laura and I are still partnering up on impossible projects, by the way. We spent most of 2020 writing together from a distance. We are getting close to submitting our first short story to a contest at the end of this month. We hope to finish our full-length play at the beginning of 2021. 

She continues to inspire me and remind me of how much joy there is in trying new things. She is the embodiment of the Just Say Yes movement we started back in 2008. 

Going back through our blog reminded me of how much running together gave me. It also reminded me that it hurt back then, too, that I also struggled with my diet and my weight back then, and that the same things that made me feel like crap then still make me feel like crap. So I decided to take the best of from that year and try to apply it to my life now. I started a 30-day get back to running program for people in their 40s and I am going to follow it to the letter. When I finish the thirty days I am going to make a marathon plan for 2021. These are the races I am looking at. 

I just added the third after looking back at our blog. 

1. Tromso Midnight Sun Marathon in Oslo, Norway. June 19, 2021

2. The Venice Marathon, October 24, 2021

3. Rochester Marathon, September 2021

I think we need something to work for in 2021. It's such a dreary and depressing time with all of this Covid stuff. Let's take the best of 2009 and make it happen in 2021. 

Laura? What do you think?

Halfie in May, you say!

I upped my mileage today by a full half mile. So far to go before I can even think about going a half marathon, but, I think May is a good goal. Last year this time, I was in Albany, NY preparing to run a half with my father-in-law and my friend, Mary Karen. That half marathon was wonderful for me - I served as motivational speaker for everyone around me....lol. I then ran the Williamsburg Half with Francine ...that was another great half marathon! Any excuse to go to Virginia to meet up with our friends. After that, I ran the Rochester Flower City half with my fellow local running freaks, Jenn, Russ, Judi, Melissa, Derrek, Curt, Sean, ... last, I made good on my word to a college friend, Rob, and ran the Buffalo half with him and his wife. I suppose it should be a good year, right? 4 half marathons? The year prior, I Ran two full marathons - all amounts to the same.

Sidelined since June has not been all that bad, I've actually enjoyed the rest BUT, I am ready for another half in May...or two. Here's what I think: Flower City Half on May 1st with all my locals; possibly Cleveland half on the 15th with some college crazies...then down to Utica again to run the Boilermaker in July with anyone in the area who wants to join me for one of the most amazing times one can have during a race.

Oh yeah, I had a fun time on my run. I really wish I had my camera, it was a day for running!

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

Go Judi and Russ!

Loved reading about the Disney challenge and can't wait for the FULL race report. I'm trying to imagine the shock of running in hot weather after all that cold training!! You guys are awesome! I too wish I could have run those last few with you today, although all that snow doesn't sound too appealing.

I am having a hard time getting out there but am totally craving it, so today on a rare walk with the dog (usually I'm with the baby and Sweetie is on Luna duty) I ran and walked. I looked silly with my jeans kind of falling down and I was hiking them up every few steps,and  my silly wool hat and street shoes didn't make me look much like a runner, but hey, I'm a runner inside and this was better than nothing and Luna was PSYCHED!

So, like work, I'm doing what I can and as Baby gets bigger and more independent (want that/dread that!!) I will be able to do more.

Laura, how about a halfie sometime in May? That would have us start training (back at zero, novice program, I'm afraid) in January. The Bavisela in Trieste is the first weekend in May. A couple weeks before that there's another half that I use as a practice in Slovenia. Sweetie and I are planning to make running appointments on a calendar so that we can both get our training in.

Think about it.
Also, the rest of you, our virtual training club, What do you think? You up for a halfie in May?

Disney Marathon would be nice

I'm certainly a cold weather runner. I love it...love it. Today was a balmy 20 degrees. The east coast was getting slammed with 20 inches of snow, we were facing gale-force winds, and I caved....couldn't do it. I just couldn't.

My friends Judi and Russ did, though. When I read that they were scheduled to run 24 miles today, I hurt for them. I considered heading to Lima to run the last few with them but, as I said, I caved. You see, Russ and Judi are scheduled to run the Disney Marathon in a little over a week. I talked Russ into running his first marathon last year and he signed a pact with Judi to run Disney with her...her first marathon. I am so proud of them for sticking to their training schedule today, of all days, because it was COLD!!!!! As I read Judi's run report today, I chuckled at her comment that her water in her water bottle froze. I know what it is like to feel an obligation to get out there and run. When Kari and I received so many generous donations for Rotary during our training, there was a certain sense of higher obligation. Russ and Judi must feel the same, as they have done an exceptional job raising funds in memory of Judi's brother, Jim, who died several years ago of cancer. I believe that they are only a few dollars short of their goal!!!

So....good luck Judi and Russ!!!

As I said before, I love running in the cold, but I have to admit that Disney wouldn't be bad after a day like today.

That used to be me

Not that long ago, I was consumed with blogging, Twitter, facebook, running, and everything that tied them all together. The everything that tied them together was the running that I did, and the encouraging of others to run. Well, for the past 6 months, I have been sidelined by a nagging Achilles tendon injury. I say sidelined quite loosely, as I will admit that I enjoyed the break. I will admit that now, but I won't scream it from the mountaintops. For the most part, I have not missed the running and the sweating, and the endless piles of sweaty laundry. But, enough is enough. I've gained weight, I've become self conscious of my weight again....and so, I return (happily) to running. I am happy to be out there...I am happier running in the cold weather than the heat, so I feel that I have timed my comeback perfectly.

So, I'm back on Twitter, I'm back blogging, back on dailymile, back at it!!! Back running....that used to be me, I think I miss her! I am running my measly 2 milers -ever cautious of that Achilles, but I can feel the urge to "up" those miles...I see a halfie in my near future.

I DID IT

FIRST POST-NATAL RUN

16.02 minutes
2.25 miles

Dreadmill. Now if you'll excuse me, there is a 1-month old getting her diaper changed screaming her head off. I must go...

THANKS, LAURA!

I love those jeans

A few days ago, I squeezed into my favorite pair of jeans. I call them my skinny jeans. Well, not that I'm skinny now, but I was when I wore them the day after I finished my first marathon. When I say that I squeezed into them, I mean that literally. I can wear them but I must do so with a baggy top (better cover up the squeezed-up love handles.) anyway...

I spoke with Kari last week. We both pledged to start back at our running TODAY!!!!

I DID! for the first time since June, I tied up my running shoes and headed out for a good old fashioned run. I had no garmin, no iPod, ... Just me and my headlamp. I felt unusually strong and the Achilles felt non-existent. NICE!!! (2 miles and felt great!)

Thoughts? I thought about all of my running friends: Russ and Judi (running the Disney Marathon in two weeks); Mary Karen (getting back on the P90x wagon tomorrow); Al, Ms. Fool, Jenn (all nursing injuries); Michael (getting back into the VFFs after some time away); Minken (expecting the 2nd baby soon ...that will keep him running); my husband (an obsessed runner now...OMG!) and all the rest of you out there in running-land.

Now, lets all see when Kari gets out there.


Ahhhh....it feels good to be here again.

Born to Run Guy in the Times Today

After reading THIS  in the NYTimes today, I CAN'T WAIT to get back to Running. BTW the kid is over a week overdue. No biggy. I'm fine, kid is fine. It's all good.

Are you getting out there? If you are, I'm out there with you, in spirit at least.

This made me think of you all!

There's a great article in the NYTimes today that may speak to some of our friends, the compulsive runners who keep going in spite of medical injuries, etc. It made me think of myself as I'm currently benched for a 9-month pregnancy stint that I know I would absolutely be running through if I lived in the States and not in Italy. Telling me not to run (doctors, peers, friends, husband) and following orders (I'm a rule follower when it comes down to it) felt like part of what makes ME ME was being taken away. Even now, after seven months, I feel like a big phoney if I even bring up the fact that I ever ran in my life! That's how fragile the runner's ego can be! Like if I'm not doing it now then I am just not a tough enough person to call myself a runner.

But on the inside, I know that I will always be a runner.

My latest shenanigan was agreeing to take in my friend Leslie's treadmill that she got when she moved to Trieste for a year with a newborn baby (she's one of those elite runners who wins just about every race she enters. I love her). She used it for runs during baby's naps and now just wants it to have a good home.  I am secretly elated, honored, profoundly greatful that she chose mine!

My husband wants to know where I intend to put it. Did I tell you I live in a small apartment and have no idea? No biggy. It'll fit. And that is what is so exciting today!

p.s. Now I REALLY feel sucky about NOT running while pregnant!! BTW GO KARA!!! I love her. And to think we'll have kids about the same age!!! I'm about to put my my Vibrams and kick some asphalt up to the bike path. Shhh!

15 Things You Don't Want To See When Running a Marathon

A little background:

In high school, I dated the same guy for, oh....gosh.....FOUR years.  Which basically meant I spent a lot of time with his family. In high school (need I remind you) when you are THAT into a guy nothing else really exists, right? So, I became good friends with his entire family.  I will say for the record that I did not end up marrying the same high-school sweetheart (which is an entirely different lesson for an entirely different day)..... ON WITH THE STORY.  This boyfriend's family was very nice to me, his younger brother,Craig, and I had quite a bit in common and shared many interests.  As a matter of fact, one of my favorite memories is when the two of us worked together at McPherson's Apple Orchard - (anyone who has worked there will lay their hand on the Bible and swear that it was the best job they ever had....TRUTH) ANYHOO - - - Craig and I reconnected on facebook (of course) and I have since come to understand the extent to which his life revolves around being fit, active, and outdoors. Before I ran my first marathon, Craig helped me understand some of the basic strategies for completing such an event.  Now, I frequent his blog for what is usually a bit of athletic humor or advice.  In any case, I wanted to share with you his most recent post that he borrowed from a friend who just ran Big Sur.  ENJOY, because I certainly did. (and maybe I can drum up some hits to Craig's blog....it's worth the read)

15 Things You Don't Want To See When Running a Marathon. 
(the link is to his blog. Click on the link within his entry...sooo funny)


and while you're at it, take a look at this video, too.