Run hard, Play hard, Love Hard

Run Hard, Play Hard, Love Hard

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Sometimes happy feeling come from the most odd places...

Quick back store: For those that don't know, I am a Pharmacy Technician (currently- I have a Business Degree but this economy doesn't let everyone keep their actual JOB)

So- today I was at work, and a patient came into work and for what? Not their medication. It was to talk to ME about running and races. He is a 60+ year old man, that has recently dropped around 100lbs. And he has also become a VERY nice man, unlike the horrible angry man he was before. Last time he was in to get his medications, he was sporting a new local 5K long sleeve shirt. I commented on it and asked if he had walked/jogged it. His answer, "yes!" and he really enjoyed it. I told him about other races and when they were coming up. He wasn't interested at the time, and so passed on my info.

But TODAY- he came in just to talk to ME about races. I gave him the local running club website (because he is actually an internet savy older man, and he was happy to get any info I may come across from time to time. It made me feel needed, running savy (LOL!!!-snort-LOL!!) and I have never had anything make me feel so awesome in a while.

So, I am back to another fun fact. I have a couple girls from my High school days that have been asking my advice and information on running and races this past few months. The first girl still asks me questions from time to time. Like what shoes, gear, running stores, etc. But her first half was going to be this past October with me, after paying for the race, she bailed on training and the race.

The second girl is doing well, she asks me advice on staying motivated and what to do thru the winter, etc. She has signed up for her first half marathon in May already, and is planning on seeing me there. I fully believe that she can and will do this for herself.

Where am I going with this? Well, all this makes me feel like a support leader. Someone that is helping others help themselves. And why is this so intriguing to me? Because I can give you the right answers, but I am hard at following through them myself!  I can fill you quota for answers to any questions- and all great complete answers, but I rarely follow them myself. I try to tell myself that having the knowledge base is key to helping anyone. And the knowledge base tells me that ALL INDIVIDUALS WORK DIFFERENTLY. Including myself.

Ex. Question: It is so cold in the winter, how do I stay motivated to keep running, and when the treadmill is boring?

Answers: You can load up on ColdGear wear and keep pushing outside, maybe get a running partner to MAKE you get outside first. OR you can move the treadmill in front of the TV and run during a favorite show or movie, load audio books on your ipod that you have been dying to read, put the treadmill in front of a window that gives you the outdoor scenes or a busy street or your kids playing outside.

Ok- so out of all those answers, what do I do??
1. I have all the ColdGear- thats doesn't get used.
2. I have the treadmill in front of the TV, but I can't make it past 30 minutes myself.
3. I don't own an ipod to load books too (maye that my problem- hummmm)

Do you see where this is going? So know I ask you, is giving advice to others about running a bad thing or is my knowledge from thousands of books, magazines, and blogs too great a talent to waste??

My next venture to get thru the winter starts tomorrow...... KICKBOXING AT 6am!!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

HAPPY 1 YEAR RACING ANNIVERSARY TO ME!

Ok-
this is going to be short and sweet.

Happy anniversary to me
Happy anniversary to me
Happy 1 yr racing anniversary to meeeeeee
Happy anniversary to me!

I celebrated my anniversary with my hubby, in Tulsa OKLAHOMA.
I ran the Route 66 Half marathon............the end.



ok- so maybe not the end, but my performance was THAT AWFUL TERRIBLE SAD DEPRESSING (you get the picture) that I was mad sad depressed..... anyway.

But I have one thing to say in my defense...... 1 mile straight up .25 miles into the race. (totally understand now right)

And to end my 1 year, another young man died. It happened in Dallas in March, and now Tulsa. This young man was 27 years old! Only a year younger than me!! So- when I passed this guy at mile 10 getting massive CPR- I had to push back my tired, hurting body from crying crying crying! God sure has interesting times picked out for some people, and it is so sad that a family has to go through that.

So you can imagine what happened when we got home from Tulsa-- my mom FREAKED OUT! And she has demanded that I get a complete checkup (including heart check) since many problems run in the family.

Anyway- my time was sad, the death of a young man as sad, my race photos were scarey sad (I will not be posting ANY OF THEM- so dont even ask)

But I will say this. I got to meet Allie! A favorite blogger buddy and her hubby and kiddos. I must say- for the length of time that we (including my sis in law and her hubby) were all eating dinner and talking talking talking, her kids were AWESOME! And were at the lengths of quietly falling asleep at the table. Unfortunately for Allie- we started running together from the beginning, her long legs pulled her away from me at the hill. And I slowly watched her leave my view. But at mile 5, I caught up to her and her injured ankle was losing her battle. And I heard at the end, that at mile 6, she got to catch a ride in a police car. SAD day for Allie too. But maybe Germany will bring something new (since that is where they are moving too.

So 1 year down- 6 half marathons completed- and 4 states marked off the map!! What next?? I am working on that!!

Stay tuned for the continuing journeys of Flat BigGirl and the Motherhood of the Traveling book.....