running

In it for the long run

September 23, 2014 Marie Leave a Comment

New running shoes: check. New workout pants that fit my postpartum body: check. Mentally ready to get back into running: you bet!

I’m sorely out of shape, and I’m tired, but I’m making this happen. I miss running. I miss knowing that I’m doing something I could never do in high school. I hated the one day a year we had to run a mile. All the sports kids would run it like it was a breeze and I pushed myself but ended up walking more than running. One year I distinctly remember it took my friends and I so long to do it that the gym teacher asked us “that was your 4th lap, right?” and we just said yes so we could move on. It seems stupid, really, to expect kids who have never run to do a mile straight with zero training and I really feel like that kind of expectation keeps a lot of kids (and adults, even) from attempting to run. It wasn’t until I did the Couch to 5k program that I ran a mile straight. And you know what? I nearly cried when I hit that mile. I had done something I’ve never done before!

So here I am, 6 weeks postpartum, ready to get back into this running thing. I’m not sure how I’m going to work out scheduling my training with baby and going back to work in 2 weeks… but one day at a time.

Epic Project Weekend

April 7, 2013 Marie 1 Comment

I’m happy to report that Spring seems to have really, truly, officially arrived. The temperatures have warmed (and appear to be staying around for a bit), the birds are out in full force, my garden plants are budding leaves, and I’m overall more in the mood to get things done rather than wanting to hide and hibernate indoors.

There’s been so much accomplished this weekend! Yesterday morning we got up and out the door for my #2/13 5k race for the year. The wind was bitter cold, and I wasn’t at all physically ready to complete a 5k again. But I did it and I ran as much as I could, constantly pushing myself to run more after I’d take a break to walk. The Mr was taking photos of the event, so I stepped out of my comfort zone a bit and tried to make funny faces at him when the camera was on me. :)

I followed up my race with my regular monthly knitting day with my girls. And a Starbucks Vanilla Blonde coffee, because if I didn’t have some caffeine I was probably going to fall asleep in the middle of knit group! I’m almost done with my Burst of Colors shawl (though truth be told it’ll probably be scarf-sized rather than shawl-sized). I cast off for the white and picked up stitches in the ‘seabreeze’ colorway, and I made some good progress last night while we had a family Monty Python and the Holy Grail night with the Mr. and his son.

Today has been deemed ‘project’ day. It’s a beautiful 71 degrees and sunny with not a cloud to be found! So to take advantage of the weather, Mr and I made a trip to Lowes to pick up some necessary items for repairs around the house. Our garage door is breaking down but we can’t afford to replace it, so we’re trying to make it work for now. And then, while he was working on that, I broke out our brand new circular saw to cut some wood and build a crate. I’ve never made anything with wood before, and I’ve never used a saw, so it was both scary and exciting. The crate turned out great, though it’s far from perfect. But for a first project? I think I did pretty great! And I’ve got a bit more confidence now to make more. Next one I might make the effort to sand and stain it so I can use it for stackable yarn and craft storage!

Speaking of crafts… don’t you just love those stitch markers?? They look like little Earths! These are going in a package to another knitter, but I might just have to make myself a set. And I’m definitely making myself a set of earrings out of them for Earth Day!

One down, 12 to go.

January 1, 2013 Marie Leave a Comment

race_medal

Hats, Thanksgiving, and other Monday ramblings

November 19, 2012 Marie Leave a Comment

Charity hats #1 and 2. White one is Twistygoo, black and white one is Hadley. That’s 2 down, 8 more to go (with one kid-sized one on the needles currently).

It’s hard to believe that we’re in the final days before Thanksgiving. We’re hosting again this year, which means a lot of cleaning going on as well as a lot of stress. I’m sure the family doesn’t care if the house isn’t spotless, but I clean like they do regardless. I’ve decided this year to make my life a tad easier, so I’m just doing the turkey and stuffing (oh, and homemade cranberry sauce) and requested everyone else bring a dish or two. Last year I made sides and by the time everyone brought their own dishes we had too much food and not enough counter space!

Other things/ramblings:

Finally getting back into running after taking 6 months off after my 5k in May. Might even be getting the Mr to join me this time around! It’s probably too much to hope that we’ll be running 5k’s together come Spring.
Ran across The Life Less Bullshit Manifesto today and I’m in love. Both with the manifesto and the author.
In line with the manifesto’s “spend less time obsessing and more time actually doing” idea, I decided to dump a chore I absolutely hate: planning dinners/grocery lists for the week. So I signed up with eMeals. Every week I’m now getting my grocery list emailed straight to me so I don’t have to think of it. No more trolling the internet looking for food inspiration when I really just don’t care so long as its healthy/not full of processed crap.
Ikea! Oh, Ikea! Took a trip Saturday to visit and came home with a new shower curtain, some new towels, a new memory-foam pillow (which was annoying the first night, but I’m adjusting and my neck is thanking me). I did not come home with the Strandmon chair I saw and immediately wanted. I was incredibly tempted, however.
Racking off my 2nd batch of hard cider today! Or maybe bottling. I need to taste it and see. Trying to decide what next to brew. Mead, maybe?

The 5k

May 28, 2012 Marie Leave a Comment

Ya’ll, I did it! I ran my first ever 5k! And it was awesome and amazing and miserable and hot all at the same time.

We woke up early and had to leave the house by 7am to meet up with my running buddies at the race site at 8am. It really ended up being too early – the race didn’t begin until 9am, and we had a lot of time to just sit around and hang out waiting for it to start.

At 8:53 we all began lining up behind the start line. The whole thing barely felt real, me standing there in a mass group of other runners. I thought I’d feel anxious, like I had butterflies in my stomach, but instead I was the total opposite. I was unusually calm. When the air horn blew to start the race I just went.

I ran. I walked. I ran a lot more than I walked. I was passed, and I passed people myself. As I ran I was choking back tears. I’ve wanted to run a 5k for so long. And I’ve worked so hard the last 10 weeks to keep pushing myself harder and harder to get to this point. And every time I relaxed and stopped worrying about my pace and just kind of took the whole thing in – the feel of the breeze, notice the bobbing heads in front of me, etc – I’d get choked up.

The first mile was okay. The fact that I can even run a solid mile at all is amazing considering I never could in high school. The second mile was rough, as was a part of the 3rd mile. But that last portion? I must have had some major huge adrenaline rush, because it felt like I found my second wind. I just kept going and kept going. And as soon as I turned the final corner and had the big finish line in my sights I pushed hard. I sprinted. I took these long, massive strides and just willed myself into going faster.

I depleted every last bit of energy I had left for that final push, and my reward came when I crossed the finish line: 39:03. Two days ago I ran around the neighborhood and timed in around 39:40, which means I just set myself up a new personal record!

I never thought I’d say this ever in my entire life: I can’t wait to do another race!!